Harry Potter, the Prisoner, and the Masked Man
by tabjoy13
Summary: Teenaged Kakashi leads his team consisting of: Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy. They are to guard and protect the students of Hogwarts alongside of (and against) the Azkaban dementors. Guy takes a shine to the Slytherins. Hermione takes a shine to Ebisu. What could possibly go wrong? Two sequels also complete!
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Dumbledore wants extra protection at his school this year since Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban. Not only is Black a problem but the extra guards the Ministry of Magic are assigning to the school are possibly more dangerous than the convict himself. Due to the Village Hidden in the Leaves being weakened by the Nine-Tails attack, the Third Hokage can only send one jonin and a team with him. Enter Team Hogwarts: Kakashi, Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy.

There will be a Ebisu/Hermione pairing but, I can't stress this enough, it is VERY LIGHT (here meaning, it's more mutual attraction and the usual teenaged embarrassment with the possibility of a relationship happening in the future).

This story will include Harry, Ron, Hermione, Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu, as I mentioned, but will mainly focus on Kakashi and his point of view. Other characters from Hogwarts will be used also (whether they are used well or not remains to be seen by the reader).

Slytherin House as a whole will not be glorified but this author intends to point out the fact that it's statistically impossible for all Slytherins to be "bad" and that the house does have a softer side.

I am not trying to bash the Harry Potter universe but I will poke fun at it often.

There will be no major deviations from the canon plot besides those which would probably happen if ninjas were dropped into the equation (which is actually kind of a lot once the end game starts playing out, so be prepared for that). There will be no major character deviations.

I wrote this expecting my audience to have read the Harry Potter books or at least up until the third one. If you've only seen the movies you may be slightly confused as to what's going on.

We're just having fun here so let's try not to get too angry.

Author's Note: I'll be following the **book** _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ as closely as possible. This means I don't want to get any angry comments about how the barrier at Platform Nine and Three Quarters is supposed to be made of brick. It's not. It's made of metal. You can look it up yourselves if you don't believe me (my husband, who loves the books, forgot this detail as well and did look it up). I will warn you though, in book one Rowling doesn't mention what the barrier is made of at all (she says that the Hogwarts Express side is a wrought-iron archway but one could argue that it's only that way on the magical side). So you'll have to use books two (p. 68), three (p. 71), and five (p. 182) for your confirmation. With that being said, I'll also inform you that I'm not going to copy scenes word for word out of the book either. I expect you to know where we are in the plot based on the hints I drop. If you want a blow by blow of the Quidditch Final, you will find that in Rowling's book on page 306, not in this story. For longer explanations, like when Lupin is talking to the kids towards the end, I will sum up the main points and expect you to know the rest. I'm not here to tell that story, it's been told already and you can find it anywhere books are sold.

 **Chapter 1: Where did you say you're from?**

"Hound, the Hokage would like to see you," the ANBU with the eagle mask said.

Hound turned and looked at the ANBU passively but inside he was surprised. He had gotten back from his mission not two minutes ago and had just stopped at the memorial stone to visit Obito. His report wasn't _that_ urgent. When the other man didn't leave Hound cocked his head, questioning.

"I'm to accompany you to the tower," Eagle stated.

Kakashi's eyebrows went up under his mask. _What is this about?_

The two Anbu jumped into the trees and headed toward Hokage Tower.

"I was surprised to hear from you after so many years, but there was your letter sitting in the usual place. I'm surprised that trinket you invented still works," said the Third Hokage.

Dumbledore's eyes just twinkled. "Wouldn't want to see a friendship die simply because one gets too busy to write."

"I am sorry about that," the brown-haired shinobi said, lighting his pipe. "But we've unfortunately been in another war and then with the loss of the Fourth Hokage…"

The men waited in silence, drinking their tea.

"Albus," the Third began, "the leader of the team I'm sending, he's young but he is capable."

"I have no doubt of that Hiruzen," the white haired wizard responded.

Before the conversation could continue there was a knock at the door. "Enter," the Third Hokage ordered.

Eagle opened the door for Hound and then closed it without entering himself. Hound knelt before his Hokage.

"There's no need for your mask here Hound," the Hokage said.

Hound glanced at Dumbledore and back to the Third. The Third gave the barest hint of a nod and Kakashi removed his ANBU mask.

"Hatake Kakashi, this is Albus Dumbledore." One red eye and one ebony eye met two blue ones. They bowed to each other. "I have a mission for you. I know that you just got back but you'll have to leave today if possible," the Third started. "The duration of this mission will be one year. You will be team leader of a four man cell. Do you accept?"

"Sir?" Kakashi asked.

"It is a yearlong mission in a land very different from our own and your potential employer would like you to have the option to refuse."

The silver-haired ninja glanced at the man with the long white beard who'd risen when he'd entered the room. "I accept. Who's on the team?"

"That's to be determined but I have some people in mind. We'll see who gets back from their missions and when."

Kakashi nodded and appraised the man in indigo robes.

"I'll let Professor Dumbledore explain the particulars."

"Mr. Hatake," Dumbledore said, "I'm headmaster of a school for witches and wizards called Hogwarts, in another dimension. We are in need of the protective services of you and the team that the Third Hokage will send later. A convict named Sirius Black has escaped from the prison: Azkaban. We have been led to believe that he may be after one of our students, Harry Potter. Our Ministry of Magic has assigned several Azkaban guards, who are magical beings known as dementors, to guard the school against any infiltration of Black. However, I am not in favor of the dementors staying so near the school. Therefore I have appealed to your Hokage," he gestured at Hiruzen, "for a guard team to be stationed inside of the school. The dementors don't work well with others so you will not be able to rely on them for support. In fact, I fear they may end up being one of the threats that you have to defend against. Your Hokage has made more detailed notes for you to read over later but that's the sum of it."

Kakashi blinked. "I see."

Hiruzen smiled at the young jonin but Dumbledore began to laugh. "I'm sure you have many questions, fire away."

Kakashi didn't hesitate. "There are wizards and witches in another dimension?" Kakashi asked.

Dumbledore nodded, smiling. "I believe you're familiar with the different plains of existence that your summoning animals live in?" At Kakashi's nod he continued, "well there's a separate plain from this one that also has "civilians", as you call them, and wizards. That is where I'm from."

Kakashi nodded to show he understood. "But how did you get here?"

Dumbledore smiled but it was a sad smile, "to tell you the truth I was rather reckless in my youth. I used to experiment with all sorts of spells, like people here experiment with and create jutsu. One day I was trying to figure out how to summon," he paused, "something that didn't belong to my world anymore."

Kakashi waited for him to continue. Hiruzen smoked on his pipe thoughtfully.

"Anyway that's not important, what is important is that I summoned a phoenix." As if on cue, a large bird glided into the room and landed on the Third Hokage's desk. Its feathers were like fire: reds, oranges, and yellows overlapping each other to make a flame pattern that licked down to the bird's long tail.

"Fawkes," the Third told Kakashi, gesturing at the bird, "is Professor Dumbledore's summoning animal."

"Yes," Dumbledore said, picking the conversation up again, "and a fine companion he's made over the years. Fawkes has the ability to not only return to his home world with me in tow, but enables me to visit other plains of existence. Over the years I had begun to think that mine was the only world with humans. Then one day Fawkes brought me here, to your world and the Land of Fire in particular. I'm afraid your Hokage didn't quite know what to think of me back then. It took awhile for him to accept that I wasn't a threat to his village."

"So you two met and became friends?" Kakashi clarified.

Dumbledore nodded.

"Is this the first time you've wanted to hire a ninja?"

Dumbledore frowned and looked at Hiruzen. Hiruzen smoked his pipe passively. He took it from his mouth and spoke. "Two years ago he tried to hire a full squad to guard the school but as you know…"

"We were at war," Kakashi finished.

"I understood of course. Times of war are desperate times."

Kakashi looked down, willing his memories away. "I may have more questions once I've read Lord Hokage's scrolls, until then I have nothing more to ask besides when would you like to leave? I have a mission report to complete and I'll need to pack."

"You can send your report to me once you've arrived at Hogwarts," the Hokage said. "Professor Dumbledore has a way to send and receive messages between worlds."

"As far as you packing, I would like to leave as soon as possible. Your Hokage tells me that I can collect the rest of your team at a later date. However, Mr. Potter has already gotten himself into some trouble and I would prefer you would join him at The Leaky Cauldron as soon as possible. From there you can accompany him and the rest of the students to Hogwarts."

"The leaky what?" Kakashi asked.

"Forgive me, The Leaky Cauldron is the name of an inn in the city of London." Dumbledore explained. "Harry is staying there now after having run away from home."

"He ran away from a place of safety when a convict is targeting him?" Kakashi questioned.

"Harry is unaware that Black is after him," Dumbledore said. "He should be safe at the 'Cauldron but I'd like you there just in case."

"I see," Kakashi said. He was tired from his week-long mission but his village certainly needed the income after all that's happened. He couldn't imagine what Dumbledore must be paying the Village to get one squad for a year.

"You're dismissed Kakashi," Lord Third said. With that, Kakashi slid his mask back on and vanished.

"Do you think I explained it well?" Dumbledore asked his old friend.

"As well as anyone could, it's a lot to explain," the Hokage said.

"He certainly took it well."

"Kakashi is sharp and efficient. He won't need or tolerate any hand-holding once he knows his mission." Hiruzen looked at Dumbledore pointedly.

Dumbledore attempted to ignore this look. "Is he always so aloof?"

The Third Hokage sighed and said, "no. He has, however, had a hard life." Dumbledore listened as his host proceeded to tell him a little about the young Hatake.

In twenty minutes Kakashi was back in Hokage Tower. "Lord Third," Kakashi said, collecting the scrolls that the Third Hokage had prepared for him. "Would you be so kind as to explain to Guy where I am? I don't want him breaking into my apartment looking for a challenge."

Hiruzen smiled to himself. "I'll be sure to tell him Kakashi."

Kakashi put the scrolls in his bag and turned to Dumbledore. He was still wearing his dirty ANBU armor and felt a little underdressed. However, if he was going to an inn, he figured he could get cleaned up there.

"There's one more thing," Dumbledore said. Kakashi turned to him. "I'm sorry to do this when we've just met but we don't have much time. Kakashi, I'm going to have to use a spell on you." Kakashi's eyebrows went up but he said nothing. "It's a pretty simple one, developed years ago by the Ministry's Diplomatic Department. You see, we don't speak the same language, not even remotely. The only reason you can understand me right now is because I've put one on myself, as I've learned to do when I travel between worlds. However, now that you'll be coming into my world, putting the spell on you will be a lot easier than putting it on everyone else."

"I understand," Kakashi said but he kept shifting his stance. He looked at the Third Hokage again and was given a reassuring nod.

Dumbledore withdrew a long thin stick from his robes. Kakashi later read that they called them wands. The Headmaster drew a circle in the air with the wand and gave a little flourish at the end, muttering a few words. With that done, Dumbledore stowed his wand. "Alright then, time to go." Dumbledore gestured to Kakashi to get closer and Fawkes flapped over and landed on Dumbledore's shoulder. "Take Fawkes's leg," Dumbledore instructed.

Kakashi grasped the leg that Dumbledore wasn't holding. "So long Hiruzen!" Dumbledore said. Kakashi simply nodded and they were gone.

They arrived in a courtyard with a large brick wall in the back. A clock chimed through the din that was coming from the street. "This is The Leaky Cauldron," Dumbledore said, gesturing at the building opposite the brick wall. "I'm sorry but I can't stay. I'll be sending a school owl to you for your own personal use.

"Tom the innkeeper is inside; I've arranged for your room, just tell him I sent you. One last thing," Dumbledore turned back to look at him. "I'll send word asking Harry to introduce you to our world a bit so he won't think it odd that you're around."

"Thank you," Kakashi said. Dumbledore looked at him, not saying anything. Then he turned on his heel and disappeared with a pop. Kakashi blinked, _interesting_.

The young ninja made his way inside. Tom understood him so Kakashi figured that the spell had worked, either that or Dumbledore and Lord Third were pulling a long con.

Tom was all too happy to show him to his room. "Any friend of Dumbledore is a friend of mine," he said. Kakashi didn't care to correct him. The innkeeper then said something about sending up food but Kakashi waved him off. He just wanted to sleep.

Tom left, bowing all the way out of the door. Kakashi unbuckled his armor piece by piece, mechanically. The familiar task helped him process all the new information. He placed his tools on the nightstand by his bed and slid between the sheets. The ninja started to think about why a name like "leaky cauldron" would be appealing to travelers but he fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Kakashi spent the entire next day either getting used to his new eating and sleeping schedule or reading the Third Hokage's notes. Dumbledore also included some parchment filled with information. They contained anything from: a list of Sirius Black's crimes to: information on a ministry official named Arthur Weasley whom he'd be meeting in the next few days. Kakashi also, of course, shadowed Harry Potter. It was hardest at breakfast because Harry blatantly watched everyone else. This was usually when Kakashi got most of his reading done. However, after that first day, Kakashi introduced himself.


	2. Chapter 2: When Harry met Kakashi

**Chapter 2: When Harry met Kakashi**

Harry was sitting at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor doing homework as usual. _That's his fifth sundae today!_ Kakashi thought. _How is he not sick?_

Kakashi walked over to Harry's table and asked if he could sit down. Harry took in the masked lower part of his face, the crooked headband with an alien swirl on it, and the white breastplate and arm guards. Harry's brow furrowed. Kakashi was just beginning to wonder if his attire would be frightening to young wizards when Harry's face brightened. "I've seen you at The Leaky Cauldron!"

 _Oh, he was only trying to think of where he'd seen me before._

"If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to sit by me?" Harry said, gesturing at a chair. Kakashi pulled it out and sat down.

"I thought it was about time I introduced myself, I'm Kakashi Hatake. Dumbledore is sending me and my team to guard the students at Hogwarts this year."

"Oh I see," Harry said. "I'm Harry Potter. Dumbledore sent me an owl about you but didn't say how we'd meet. I thought you'd be older." Harry felt that that was rude but he couldn't think of any other way to say it. He blushed, embarrassed.

"I get that a lot," Kakashi said. "Anyway, this whole place is new to me. Would you mind showing me around?"

"Well I've just finished my paper, but I've still got some shopping to do for school. If you don't mind coming along for that I can show you around as we go?"

So the shopping began, along with Kakashi's wizarding world observations. First they went and got Harry more ingredients for potions class. Then Kakashi watched Harry get fitted for new school robes. _What was up with those hats?_ Then they went to the book store, which actually interested Kakashi.

"Is that normal?" Kakashi was looking in the front window of the bookstore. In it was a large cage filled with books that were ripping each other to pieces.

"No." Harry said slowly, frowning at his list. "Those are the required books for Care of Magical Creatures. Now I know why Hagrid got me one."

"A friend of yours bought you one of those?" Kakashi asked, pointing at two books that were ripping a third apart at the binding.

"Yes," Harry said, actually cheering up. "You should have seen the spider he considered to be a friend."

Kakashi's eye widened but he said nothing.

The clerk in the bookstore was relieved to hear that Harry didn't need _The Monster Book of Monsters_. He then started talking about _The Invisible Book of Invisibility_ and how they could never find it after it had been delivered.

 _Seriously? It sounds like they got tricked into buying nothing,_ Kakashi thought.

When Harry noticed, _Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming,_ Kakashi just chuckled.

Harry looked at him. Kakashi simply said, "I've seen the worst and it doesn't look like any dog." Harry thought about asking what he meant but decided against it. Then Kakashi turned his head sideways and said, "that actually kind of looks like a dog I know."

Soon they left the shop with Harry's new books and headed back to the inn. Kakashi had new information in his head while Harry's kept filling up with new questions about his companion.

Over the next few days Harry and Kakashi got to know each other. Well, Kakashi got to know Harry anyway. But Harry didn't mind the company. Kakashi was one hundred percent better than the Dursleys, even if he was evasive. The masked man wouldn't tell Harry where he came from, why three fourths of his face was covered, or what his family was like. When Harry asked Kakashi what he did for fun, had Kakashi said, "many things." Harry banged his head into the table in frustration.

"How old are you?" Harry asked a few hours later.

Kakashi looked at him and Harry prepared for that question to be side-stepped also. "Fourteen," Kakashi replied.

Harry's jaw dropped open. "Where are your parents? You're only a year older than me," Harry said.

"Good to see they're teaching you math," Kakashi muttered.

"Sorry?"

"I said," Kakashi lied, "that I'm legally an adult. I take care of myself." His voice had gone hard but Harry barely noticed with this new revelation.

"How long have you been an adult?" Harry asked.

Sensing where this line of questioning was going, Kakashi said, "awhile now," and left it at that.

Harry realized that that was all he was going to get out of the guard for the time being and clammed up.

The unruly haired wizard kept running into classmates as they days went on. Kakashi met Dean, Seamus, and Neville but he could tell that none of them were who Harry had been waiting for. _It must be Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley,_ Kakashi thought. The ninja was looking forward to meeting the Weasleys because Mr. Weasley was supposed to fill Kakashi in on any recent news about Black. He could have read the newspaper but one: there was no way for him to tell if the information reported was accurate and two: the moving pictures gave him a headache.

Kakashi and Dumbledore had been exchanging owls but Dumbledore said the latest news could be best acquired through Arthur Weasley. Another thing Dumbledore mentioned was that his team had arrived at Hogwarts and would be joining him shortly. His team would consist of Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu. Kakashi would have liked to look over the castle and grounds himself but he was the one sent first so he had to keep an eye on Harry.

The day before they were scheduled to leave, Ron and Hermione arrived. Harry ran to them but Kakashi hung back, not wanting to spoil their moment.

Hugs were exchanged and news. Ron and Harry started talking about quidditch but Hermione interrupted them. "Harry, is that man with you?"

"Oh yeah sorry," Harry turned and waved Kakashi over. Kakashi approached, hands in pockets.

"Ron, Hermione, meet Kakashi," Harry gestured with his head and eyes at the appropriate names. "He's one of the guards Dumbledore is going to have at Hogwarts this year. I've been kind of showing him around. He's riding the train with us."

"Doesn't he talk?" Ron said. "Is that why he's got the mask on?"

"Ronald that's rude!" Hermione said.

"I speak just fine," Kakashi said. _This is going to be a long year._

Ron was excitedly spouting questions as they occurred to him. "Why do you wear the mask? Did you dye your hair to look like that? Are you a wizard? Where do you come from then?"

"Hm? Did you say something?" Kakashi turned a lazy eye on Ron.

Ron looked flabbergasted. Hermione didn't know if the strange man was being funny or genuinely confused. Harry muttered, "Ron, he doesn't like to talk about himself."

"Oh," Ron said looking at Kakashi again. "Sorry mate."

"No problem," Kakashi responded. He gave Ron an eye smile but it seemed to unnerve rather than reassure him.

"So Harry," Ron said, eyes still on Kakashi, "did you really blow up your aunt?"

 _Blow up? Like with a paper bomb?_

Kakashi pondered this as they made their way down the street to a magical pet store. The smell of multiple animals assaulted Kakashi's nose as they entered the establishment. He felt a pair of eyes on him and looked up to see a ginger cat staring at him. _Cats._ He tried to ignore the irritating creature and pay attention to what the students were doing.

Ron was talking to the storekeeper about his rat Scabbers. Suddenly, Kakashi turned on instinct and snatched the offensive cat out of the air by the scruff of its neck. It had made to leap at Ron's head. Ron's pervading squeal of surprise had silenced all the animals in the store.

Kakashi gave Ron a disdainful look. The red head had reflexively leaned backwards over the counter and had a look of horror plastered on his face. Kakashi's attention returned to the cat. The furry beast hissed at its captor. Kakashi stared at it, holding it just out of claws reach of his face.

Ron and Harry ran out the door after Scabbers, who'd escaped in the heat of the moment.

"Oh I'm so sorry," the shopkeeper said. "Crookshanks, bad kitty."

Kakashi set the cat down on the counter. The ginger cat gave a half-hearted bat at his hand as he withdrew it. They glared at each other.

"I warned you Crookshanks," the witch behind the counter said. "That's it."

"That's what?" asked Hermione curiously.

"Oh it's just he's been here for years and I can't afford to keep him forever. I told him one more toe out of line and he'd be out on the street." The witch's voice became more syrupy and mournful as she went on.

 _Nobody's going to fall for that sob story._

"Oh dear," Hermione said. Hermione looked at the owls, then at the cat. Seeming to make up her mind, Hermione said, "I'll take him."

"What?" said the witch, a phony shocked look on her face.

 _What?_ Kakashi thought.

"How much?" Hermione asked.

"Oh well," the witch began happily but then she saw Kakashi looking at her. His black eye boring into hers.

"Since I was going to put him out on the street anyway…you can have him for free," the witch said, terrified eyes glued on Kakashi.

"Thank you!" Hermione said joyfully. She looked back at the owls one last time before scooping the cat up and exiting the shop.

"Thank you," Kakashi said smoothly, politely. His eye asserted, _don't ever try that again._

The witch nervously chuckled, then breathed a sigh of relief when Kakashi left the store.

That evening Kakashi met Mr. Weasley and the majority of his offspring. After Percy's formal greeting, Fred and George's parody of it made Kakashi eye-smile.

"Salutations Kakashi Hatake, I am Fred Weasley and this is my brother George Weasley. We will also be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year."

"Seriously though mate," George said after he and Fred had had their laugh at Percy's expense, "what's with the mask?"

"I'm horribly disfigured," Kakashi deadpanned.

"Really?" Fred gasped, remorse clouding his features.

"No."

Fred and George scowled at him. "You know we'll find out right?"

"What my face looks like or why I wear the mask?"

"Both."

"Not likely, although one is far less likely than the other."

"We know you have a team coming, we'll just ask them won't we George?"

Kakashi eye-smiled at them and walked away to meet Ginny.

"I don't think he's taking us seriously George."

"Or," George said seriously, "many have failed before us."


	3. Chapter 3: Hogwarts Bound

**Chapter 3: Hogwarts Bound**

After dinner, Kakashi stayed downstairs with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley when the students went upstairs to pack.

"Straight down to business then," Arthur said. "Sirius Black _is_ after Harry. The guards stated that he kept muttering, 'he's at Hogwarts' in his sleep."

"There's no one else he could have meant?" Kakashi asked.

"No one that anyone knows of," Arthur replied.

"I'm not sure why you and your team need to be at the school. Harry's not in any danger from Black at Hogwarts, not with Dumbledore there," Molly said. She eyed Kakashi's young face.

"Dumbledore's the one who hired us," Kakashi pointed out as neutrally as he could.

"I'm sorry dear, it's just we were expecting someone older," Molly said. "Someone with more experience."

"I can assure you that I have plenty of experience in this area," Kakashi responded. His tone had become sharp but not disrespectful.

"I'm sure you think you do dear but-" Molly began.

Kakashi interrupted the witch. Still looking at her, he raised his voice and said, "Harry, come in here please."

Harry, hiding around the corner, froze and then walked guiltily into the parlor.

Kakashi couldn't tell what Molly had found more shocking, that Harry had been eavesdropping or that Kakashi knew he was there. She kept looking from one to the other.

"H-H-Harry," she sputtered.

"I'm sorry," Harry said. The look of betrayal in Mrs. Weasley's eyes hurt him. "It's just I heard my name and I just, I just want to know what's going on!"

"Of course you do Harry," Mr. Weasley said. "We just don't want you to worry. Black _will_ be caught by the Azkaban guards and since you'll have more protection," he nodded at Kakashi, "you'll be perfectly safe."

"So Kakashi's team is here just to protect me?" Harry looked like he was about to be sick. Dumbledore had written that the team was to protect the entire school. Harry didn't think he could stand any _more_ attention.

"No we're not," Kakashi said firmly. "We will be there to provide extra security in the castle and on the grounds. We can go places Dumbledore will not allow the dementors to go. We can also do things the dementors, or wizards for that matter, can't do." He said this final point while looking at Molly.

"Are you satisfied Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked but she directed the venom in her voice at Kakashi.

"Yes Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied, properly cowed.

"Then run up to bed," she said, her voice gentler now that she was looking at him. "We have an early start tomorrow."

Some of the party had an "early" morning, but Kakashi was not one of them. After he'd slept as late as was possible for him, he stepped into the hallway, pack over his shoulder, to see Mr. Weasley still in his pajamas.

"Good morning Kakashi," Arthur greeted him.

Kakashi nodded.

"I'd get some breakfast now if I were you." He raised his mug of coffee in farewell and went back into his room.

An hour later, Kakashi was glad he'd taken the man's advice. A typhoon made of Weasleys swept downstairs to eat and then back upstairs in a flurry of packing. Kakashi spent the next hour helping someone or other locate this or that.

Amazingly, they got downstairs to the Ministry cars on time. The drivers kindly loaded the luggage into the trunks while the students scrabbled into the seats. When a driver offered to take Kakashi's bag, Kakashi gave him an eye-smile and said he'd keep it thank you.

When Kakashi got into his car, Fred and George were eyeballing him again. "Is that all you have for the whole year?"

"It's all I need," Kakashi said flatly.

George and Fred mentally added, steal Kakashi's bag, to their list of things they wanted to try to figure out about/do to the guard. Kakashi did not notice this however. He was trying to figure out if the way this car expanded was normal for an automobile. _Do cars normally manage to fit this many people?_ _Storage scrolls are one thing but this is something else._ Normally this was a question he'd direct at Harry but he was in the other car.

When they arrived at the station, everyone piled out and made for the platforms. Kakashi was told to walk through a metal barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Sensing the magic coming off of it, Kakashi did what he was told and wasn't disappointed in his faith. He walked straight through onto another platform that was crawling with wizards and witches.

Kakashi didn't bother trying to sense the chakra of his team. With all the wizards and witches packed onto the platform, their magic slowly pulsing through their bodies, it'd be difficult to see the fast rush of chakra moving through the bodies of his team. Besides, he knew they were there.

Mr. Weasley and Harry popped out of the barrier when Kakashi heard a familiar voice, "Oi Kakashi!" There was Guy, in all his green glory. He wore his olive chunin vest over his leaf green spandex jumpsuit. Kakashi covered the only visible part of his face with his hand in exasperation.

Ebisu was with him but, while Guy ran over to Kakashi making his way through the wizards like oil in water, Ebisu followed at a slower pace in Guy's wake. The older genin wore a dark blue shirt and pants. His sunglasses were perched on his nose and his forehead protector on a bandana, proudly facing front.

When Ebisu had joined them Kakashi said, "which one is Kurenai?" He was scanning the crowd of students, nearly all strangers to him.

A tall, blond girl in wizard robes stepped forward out of the throng. Kakashi was pleased that she'd been practicing at suppressing her own traits. Usually the familiar manner in which she moved gave her transformations away. He eye-smiled in greeting.

The team captain wasted no time. "We'll spread out on the train. Kurenai, Guy, you stay towards the front, Ebisu and I will stay in the back. Dumbledore has informed me that our radios will not work so we'll be using hand signals or sending clones to communicate." Kakashi scanned the room. "You can brief me about the castle and grounds either on the train or once we arrive. The chain of command will be in order of rank and then seniority of promotion."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at Ebisu. Ebisu was the oldest but the only one who hadn't made chunin. Ebisu gave Kakashi a forgiving nod. The young jonin had been concerned that this would be a problem but was pleased that Ebisu had taken it so well.

"Ebisu, Guy, get on the train now. Kurenai and I will follow when it's about to leave."

"Yes sir," they chorused, and scattered.

"Kakashi," he turned, it was Molly Weasley. "Was that your team?"

Kakashi nodded.

"You're all so young," Mrs. Weasley began. Her brow was creased in worry as she watched Guy and Ebisu head for the train.

Kakashi bristled, "we've just finished a war Molly, there aren't that many of us to spare. Besides, I have complete confidence in them. I've been told that _you_ understand the trust between brothers in arms."

"You didn't let me finish," Molly said straightening. "You're all so young, but if you let anything happen to those children…" A fire glowed in the witch's eyes. The train whistle blew.

"Since it's my _job_ to keep the students safe, I have no intention of letting anything bad happen to them."

"Your _intention_?! Now see here young man…"

Kakashi held up a hand. "Mrs. Weasley, if I am half as good at my job as you hope I am, would I be worried about any kind of threat coming from you?"

Mrs. Weasley didn't know if she should be relieved or annoyed. She frowned at him. "Just keep them safe," her words came out clipped. The witch turned on her heel and marched back to her husband.

Kakashi waved once with his right hand at Arthur Weasley. He then turned, weaving through the crowd of well-wishers. Transformed Kurenai was right next to the train, waiting to board with Kakashi. He hopped on and pushed through the students hanging out the doors waving at their parents. Kurenai followed suit and headed toward the front of the train.

 _Definitely going to be a long year_.


	4. Chapter 4: Party Crashers

**Chapter 4: Party Crashers**

Kakashi and Ebisu began to patrol the corridors of the train. While they did so, Ebisu filled Kakashi in on what they had learned about the castle and grounds. _Secret passages? Expanding wings? Classrooms that have been empty for years? A forest full of dangerous creatures? This place sounds like a security nightmare._

"A Professor McGonagall also mentioned a hidden chamber that only the heir of Slytherin could open," Ebisu pushed his glasses up his nose.

"What?!"

"But she said to 'not pay it any mind, it's been shut up'," Ebisu said.

Kakashi rubbed the bridge of his nose with two of his fingers. _How am I_ not _supposed to worry about something like that?_

"There's also a lake that the students are discouraged from swimming in," Ebisu continued, enjoying Kakashi's discomfort only a little.

Kakashi stopped rubbing his nose and closed his eye, "I know I'm going to be sorry I asked but, why?"

Ebisu consulted his notes, "it is inhabited by merpeople, a giant squid, and a few other things I can't pronounce. One of which they called a water demon."

Kakashi's eye popped open, "demon?"

"I believe they mean 'demon' as 'a terror' in this case. It's called a," Ebisu sounded out the odd word, "grindylow. From how they described it, it isn't anything a genin couldn't handle," Ebisu smiled.

Kakashi eye-smiled at Ebisu's joke. "I have complete faith in your abilities Ebisu."

"I know sir."

"Any other information you want to torture me with?"

"Not at this time."

Kakashi smiled blandly and started patrolling again. There were students running back and forth along the train. A raised eyebrow from him got them settled into a compartment.

A little later a plump witch pushing a trolley down the aisle asked Kakashi, "anything for you on the trolley dear?" Her eyes took in his clothing with confusion but she smiled nonetheless.

"No thank you," Kakashi replied as he eyed the strange sweets. He briefly wondered who seemed stranger to whom.

The storm clouds that had been hovering over the train since noon began to drop their rain. Kakashi observed it as he met up with Ebisu. "That's ominous," Ebisu stated, indicating the dark skies.

Just then, three students walked past them. There was a small blond wizard and two larger ones, one of whom had a haircut very similar to a friend of theirs. Ebisu and Kakashi watched them pass. The blonde boy glared at them but didn't say anything as they went by. As the party got to the last compartment on the train, the blonde boy threw open the sliding door and just stood there, talking to the occupants.

"I'll go see what that's about," Ebisu said. Kakashi nodded and headed back toward the middle of the train.

Ebisu heard one of the boys inside of the compartment say, "new teacher. What were you saying Malfoy?" as he came up behind the boys. "Problem?" Ebisu asked, startling the three standing at the door.

They turned around, "who are _you_ supposed to be?" Malfoy sneered.

"I could ask you the same thing," Ebisu said. "However, I already asked a question that has not been answered. Is there a problem here?"

"No problem, now tell me who you are," Malfoy repeated, irritated.

"I'm a guard hired by Dumbledore to protect Hogwarts and that's all you need to know," Ebisu forced a smile. 

"I hadn't heard anything about any guards for the school except for the dementors," Malfoy said arrogantly.

"Excellent," Ebisu replied with false cheer, "then if we see Sirius Black at all, we'll have the advantage of surprise." _Because I'd definitely expect a student to know everything about what goes on at Hogwarts._

Malfoy's eyes narrowed at this response, "why are you wearing sunglasses indoors?" Ebisu smiled and said nothing. Malfoy quickly got uncomfortable with the prolonged, silent smile, "come on Crabbe, Goyle, we've got better people to talk to." He walked away from the ninja a little too quickly.

Ebisu turned and stuck his head in the compartment. "Everything okay in here?"

"Everything's fine um…" Hermione began.

"Ebisu," the ninja filled in for her. The two wizards and witch introduced themselves.

"Anyway," Ron said boldly, "Malfoy wouldn't have tried anything with Professor Lupin here." He gestured at the sleeping man in the corner.

"I see."

"Ebisu," the other boy began. "You're Kakashi's friend right?"

"Yes," he said slowly, like he was pondering the answer even as he said it.

"Is he always so…"

"Yes." Ebisu said immediately and smiled.

Harry blinked. "How did you even…?" But Ebisu was gone.

"Bloody hell, are they all like that?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged and turned to watch the rain on the window while he thought about what Ebisu had said and not said.

The storm got darker and fiercer as the train lumbered on. The rain was not letting up and the constant pounding of the drops on the glass dimmed all sound in the cars.

Kakashi felt a chill run down his spine and squinted out the window. _What is this?_

The train had started to slow down and Ebisu was at Kakashi's side instantly. "Ebisu…" Kakashi began.

"I feel it too. And no, you're right; it's too soon for us to be arriving." Ebisu straightened his glasses in agitation. "Is this an attack?"

Kakashi, still staring out the window, weaved the signs to make a clone. The duplicate poofed into existence next to the original and instantly took off towards the front of the train. Kakashi gestured towards the middle of the train with two fingers together. Ebisu nodded and moved more toward the center so that they were evenly spaced out. Kakashi made his way to the rear. Students' heads were peaking out of their compartment doors, looking around. "Stay inside and shut the doors," Kakashi ordered. He heard Ebisu echo the order farther up. The sliding doors clicked shut one after another until all that could be heard was the persistence of the rain.

Just then, the train ground to a halt and the lights went out. Kakashi's eye adjusted quickly. He scanned the corridor and saw nothing. Reaching up he straightened his headband and opened his left eye. It was as he'd suspected. The bright glow of their magic was like it had been shrouded with hundreds of thin black veils. The power was certainly there but it was wrapped in darkness.

Kakashi made another clone to relay his orders down the line. "These are the dementors Dumbledore told you about. DO NOT engage them unless they pose a threat. Keep the students in their compartments."

As if on cue, a red haired witch opened her compartment and started to step into the corridor. "Ginny," Kakashi said, making her freeze, "get inside and close the door." She looked at him with wide eyes and immediately retreated back into the compartment.

The dementors boarded the train and Kakashi pulled out a kunai. It felt reassuring in his hand. The air dropped by several degrees as the beings approached. Their thin bodies were completely covered in long black cloaks. One that was drifting past Kakashi turned and appeared to look at him. Kakashi couldn't see its face but his Sharingan gave him an idea of where its head was at. _Kakashi-_ a familiar voice said. Cold sweat broke out all over him as he recognized Rin's voice. He tightened his grip on his kunai. One of the dementors was opening the door to the last compartment.

Kakashi teleported into the compartment at the end of the train. It was occupied by a man Kakashi didn't know, Hermione, Ron, and Harry. The last of which had slumped back. The inside of the compartment was even colder. Ron and Hermione were pressed back in their seats. The man was standing, wand raised. He was saying something but Kakashi only heard Rin's voice repeating his name through the sound of a rushing wind. The ninja placed himself between Harry and the dementor, the former who was now on the floor.

Kakashi's hand felt like it was frozen to his kunai. He poised it in front of himself and shouted, "leave." He could hardly hear his own voice over the wind. His hand began to shake and a blinding white light appeared behind him. The dementors immediately retreated as the light surged toward them. The lanterns popped back on in mocking cheerfulness.

Kakashi stuck out his left hand to steady himself on the doorframe and tried to calm his breathing. He looked down at his right hand still holding the kunai but he didn't see it. All he saw was blood, his hand covered in blood. _Kakashi,_ Rin said, accusingly. His vision blurred and he felt himself falling. He clearly saw Kurenai and Ebisu in his mind's eye, then nothing.

"Kakashi wake up," he heard Ebisu say to him. Then Ebisu spoke to others over his head, "his skin is like ice. What happened?"

Before anyone could answer, Kakashi opened his right eye. "Ebisu-" he began and tried to sit up.

"Relax Captain, everything's fine," Ebisu said forcing lightness into his voice. He made Kakashi lie back down. Ebisu turned to the man in the compartment, his voice suddenly steely, "what happened to him?"

"When you're in close proximity to dementors, they make you relive your worst memories," Lupin said. He was handing the students large chucks of chocolate. "The worse the memories, the worse the reaction."

Kakashi was having a starring contest with the ceiling of the compartment; his hands were clenched to keep them from shaking. The young ANBU closed his right eye for a moment, took a breath, then opened it and began to stand up. He nearly fell forward when he regained his feet but Ebisu grabbed him and steered him into one of the compartment's seats instead.

"I'm fine Ebisu," Kakashi almost snarled.

"I know," the genin said brightly, "I just thought you'd want to hear my report."

Kakashi closed his eye in an attempt to quiet the ghosts in his head. He sighed, "go ahead."

"Guy, Kurenai, and I had no incidents with the dementors. When your clones vanished, Kurenai and I knew something must be happening on your end. I was dispatched to investigate while Guy and Kurenai guarded the rest of the students."

Kakashi stood up. Ebisu was relieved so see that he didn't falter. "We should get back to patrolling. Just because the dementors left doesn't mean we have nothing else to worry about."

"You should really rest a bit more," Professor Lupin insisted, looking at Kakashi's pale face. "An encounter with a dementor is nothing to sniff at."

"I understand that," Kakashi said, facing him. "But if I'm relaxing when I can go on, then I'm not only doing my team a disservice but I'm also not doing my job."

Ebisu and Kakashi left the teacher and frightened students behind.

 _Dumbledore was right,_ Kakashi thought, _the dementors are a problem. We won't be able to work_ with _them at all._


	5. Chapter 5: Arrival

**Chapter 5: Arrival**

When the train finally arrived at the school it was still raining. Wizards and witches alike scrambled to get off of the train and into the dry coaches. "First years this way," a voice boomed out.

Kakashi and his team waited for all of the students to get off of the train before exiting it themselves. Kurenai and Guy ran up to Kakashi. "Are you alright Kakashi?" Kurenai asked.

"I'm fine," Kakashi said shortly.

"My eternal rival, I heard that your encounter with the dementors was far more interesting than ours-" Kakashi interrupted him.

"Guy, shut up," Kakashi said. "Ebisu, someone needs to go in the boats with the first years. If anything happens, signal us, fire should do the trick." Ebisu nodded and took off toward the large man with the lantern. "The rest of us will follow the stagecoach convoy on foot. I'll run ahead and scout out the path, then double back and join the main group for the rest of the trail. Guy, you'll bring up the rear, make sure there are no straggling students or unwanted follows. Kurenai, you take the middle, no one approaches the road or the coaches, especially dementors."

Guy and Kurenai nodded their acknowledgement mutely. Kurenai tried to say something but Kakashi had already taken off up the road. His teammates watched him worriedly as his silver hair bobbed and disappeared into the freezing night.

The ninja regrouped in the great hall where all of the students had assembled for the start of term feast. While the students shouted at each other across the large space, Kakashi took the hall in. None of his teammates interrupted, they'd been pretty shocked when they had first seen it too. Thousands of lit candles floated in the free space between the four house tables and the ceiling that looked like the sky itself. The carefree chatter of the sea of students in their pointed hats created an environment that was otherworldly. Kakashi had never seen anything like it and expected he'd never see the like of it again.

Though the sight was welcoming and spectacular the jonin couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest. Most of the ninja this age in the Leaf Village were already battle hardened veterans…or dead.

Kakashi turned sharply and looked at his team. They straightened immediately. Any feeling of sentimentality had fled from his frame. "Since there are four houses and four of us, we can each loosely attach ourselves to one. We obviously can't be with them all the time, but it will be good to split up the students we're focusing on when they're all together like this."

"Kakashi, I would like to request to guard the table of youth," Guy stated, excitement dancing in his eyes.

"The table of-?" the green banners caught Kakashi's eye. "Oh I see. Yes Guy, you can guard Slytherin House. Does anyone else have any preferences?" Kurenai was covering her eyes with her hand at Guy's antics. Ebisu raised an eyebrow. "I thought not. Kurenai, why don't you take Hufflepuff House. Ebisu, you'll be with Ravenclaw House. I'll take Gryffindor House. We're not allowed in the towers but I assume you three know where the entrances are? I'll learn Gryffindor's tonight." Just then, Harry and Hermione entered the hall. "Scatter, we'll meet at the entrance to Gryffindor House after escorting the students back from the feast. You three can acquaint me with the rest of the castle then." All three nodded and then positioned themselves in various parts of the room.

Dumbledore stood to speak and the Great Hall went quiet. The headmaster spoke of the dementors, saying that they were here on "Ministry of Magic business". Kakashi wondered how thick these students were that Dumbledore didn't expect them to put two and two together. Dumbledore also introduced two new teachers. When Hagrid was announced as the new Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Kakashi thought, _so he's the one who assigned monster books? Interesting._

"One final thing," Dumbledore continued, after the applause for Hagrid had died. "Some of you may have noticed we have some new faces in our Great Hall. In addition to the dementors, the school has decided to hire supplementary guards to patrol inside of the castle and on the grounds. Dumbledore looked at each of the guards in turn, "Kakashi, Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy, will be with us all year. They are here to protect you so if they ask you to do something, you must do it without hesitation."

After a pause where the hall was completely silent Dumbledore finished, "well, I think that's everything of consequence. Let the feast begin!"

After the feast was over, Kakashi saw the Gryffindors safely to their tower and awaited his team's arrival. He leaned against the wall next to the Fat Lady's portrait, arms crossed, eyes closed. Ebisu got there first. Soon Kurenai, and then Guy joined them. When Guy walked up Kakashi opened his eyes. "You know the castle, where do you think we should start?"

Ebisu, Guy, and Kurenai looked at each other. Kurenai spoke for the group, "there's one room you have to see first thing."

"Okay, lead the way," Kakashi sighed. He uncovered his Sharingan to memorize the path. His three team members led him down a couple sets of stairs and through four passages before they came to an oak door with iron fastenings. There was no keyhole, knob, or handle but Kakashi could see that the door had an intricate system of magic running through it.

Seeing magic with the Sharingan was a headache. Unlike chakra, which ninja activate or don't as they please, magic was constant and pulsing, like a heart. So where the Sharingan would usually just pick up on when someone was about to use a jutsu, magic was just there all the time, blazing into his eye like a spike.

Kurenai put her hand flat against the center of the door. Kakashi saw her release a small burst of chakra from her hand into the wood. The door swung open. _The door is opened using chakra? Dumbledore must have something very secret stored in here._

Kakashi entered through the door to see a room with a large fireplace, four beds, four dressers, and a door off to the side. His eyes narrowed.

"This concludes the tour for tonight," Kurenai said cheerfully. She smiled slyly at Kakashi and headed for the other door.

Kakashi dropped his pack and rounded on Guy. The silver haired youth was surprised to see Guy's hand up, palm facing out at him, his face set in a frown. "Kakashi, you are team captain but you are not the only one on this mission. Kurenai and I were strongly affected by the dementors and all they did to us was walk by. Ebisu has kindly offered to patrol tonight and sleep all day tomorrow until we get on an even rotation. As second in command I am very strongly urging you to go to bed. You are no good to us tired."

Kakashi looked into his friend's eyes and knew there could be no argument. He nodded his assent. He felt a slight prick of relief in the back of his mind.

Guy went from frowning to blazing teeth in no time. "Right! We will renew our youthful tour tomorrow!"

Kakashi had to smile a little at his friend, behind his mask of course. Feeling properly reprimanded, Kakashi picked up his pack and made his way to the undisturbed bed. He began to unbuckle his armor, the familiar routine soothing his mind. He wasn't sure how he was going to sleep with Rin's voice echoing in his head, but he was going to try, for the sake of his team.


	6. Chapter 6: Hairy Hogwarts

**Chapter 6: Hairy Hogwarts**

The next morning, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Guy got up the moment Ebisu walked in. "Nothing to report Captain," the genin said tiredly, "goodnight." He then flopped down on his bed.

The three rested ninja dressed and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Fred and George had forgotten about Kakashi's mask during the feast the previous night but this morning they wouldn't take their eyes off of him.

"Okay, I'm going to take a bite, are you watching him?" Fred asked.

"Yes," George replied, his eyes peeled.

Kakashi pretended he didn't hear them but inside he was chuckling. He took another bite of his porridge.

"See anything?" Fred asked, mouth full of food. He looked up.

"Nothing, he's just sitting there with his spoon in his hand."

Fred's eyes narrowed. "George, look at his bowl."

"Blimey, his food's almost gone. How did he do it?"

"Now his food's gone and we were _both_ looking."

Kakashi rose from the table and went to stand against the wall. _Genjutsu is a wonderful thing._

While the students went off to their first classes of the day, three ninja were inspecting the castle. _Just as I thought,_ Kakashi mused, _security nightmare._

By early afternoon Guy and Kurenai were showing Kakashi the lake and forest. Suddenly Kurenai cried out, "above us!"

Guy and Kakashi looked where she was pointing. There was a large winged creature flying through the air. The torso, back legs, and tail looked like a horse's but the front legs were more like talons and its head was of a large bird. Kakashi uncovered his left eye. "Someone's riding it."

"What?" Kurenai gasped.

"Fan out, follow it," Kakashi ordered, sprinting after it. Guy followed suit angling to the left. Kurenai did the same on Kakashi's right. The ANBU saw the creature descending near the edge of the forest and quickened his pace. The forest was very extensive, an easy place to hide.

By the time Kakashi was within visual range of where the creature landed, Harry was dismounting to cheers. He spotted the Care of Magical Creatures teacher and slowed to a walk. Kurenai and Guy did the same and rejoined him.

"Another creature kept on the grounds we have to watch out for?" Kakashi asked. He was getting better at hiding his irritation at the amount of risks Hogwarts possessed.

"Looks like it," Guy said brightly. "It makes the challenge all the more stimulating!"

As they approached the class, the teacher partnered up a creature with small groups of students. One of the students, a blonde wizard whom Kakashi remembered from the train, was petting the creature they'd chased. He began to speak very loudly, looking at Harry. Kakashi saw the boy address the animal and the look in the creature's eyes changed. Its muscles tensed. It began to move, so did Kakashi, but too late.

The copy-ninja was about a foot away when the creature slashed the boy's arm with one of its talons. Kakashi grabbed the boy's robes and threw him behind him. Chidori burst to life in his other hand.

"Buckbeak no!" Hagrid cried.

Kurenai and Guy were poised near the rest of the students, ready to spring. Kakashi stood between Buckbeak and the boy. Orange eyes stared into Kakashi's mismatched ones, neither looked away. They stayed that way for a few long seconds. The students held their breath. Hagrid was frozen to the spot, afraid to interfere but afraid of what might happen if he didn't. Slowly Buckbeak lowered his head at Kakashi, eyes still locked on him. Kakashi nodded in response. He let his chidori fizzle out.

Hagrid stepped forward reprimanding the hippogriff in a shaky voice and putting its collar on. Meanwhile the students whispered among themselves. "Was that lightning?" "How did he do that?" "Came out of nowhere. I saw him halfway across the field!"

"Guy," Kakashi said, eyes still locked on the gray animal. "Get the wizard to the hospital wing, now."

Guy practically bounded over to the blonde Slytherin and scooped him up. "Do not worry, you will use your youthful energy to press on through this setback and fight another day!" Guy's teeth gleamed in a broad smile.

Malfoy looked horrified. His eyes grew huge, his lip quivered, and he began to wail.

Guy's smile faltered, his brow furrowed, and his mouth fell open a bit. "Guy just go!" Kakashi yelled. The confused look on Guy's face vanished and he took off at a sprint toward the castle with the sobbing boy in his arms.

Kurenai was trying to explain to the other Slytherins that it was only a flesh wound and that everything would be fine. The students looked at her like she'd grown a second head.

"Professor," Kakashi said to Hagrid. "You'd better go see Professor Dumbledore about this. It'd be best if he heard it from you first."

"Ah, right," Hagrid said. "Class dismissed." Hagrid finished locking the hippogriffs in their paddock and made his way up to the castle at a trot.

Every morning and evening when all the students and ninja were together was always interesting. One morning, a witch from Hufflepuff walked up to Kakashi. Assuming something was wrong, Kakashi prepared for an attack, hand hovering over a kunai and scanning the surrounding area.

"Excuse me Kakashi," the girl said sincerely. "The girls and I were wondering what you use in your hair? You know, to get that volume."

Kakashi blinked at her. Ebisu, who was a table over, almost burst into laughter but controlled himself. The girl stood there expectantly. Kakashi's eye looked up, whether he was looking at the hair in question or appealing to some higher power for patience Ebisu didn't know. _I can run up walls and hold lightning in the palm of my hand but this girl wants to know about my hair care routine?_

"Um…I wash it."

"And?"

"And that's it," the girl seemed unsatisfied with this explanation so he attempted to elaborate, "my father's hair was just like this too. It must be in my genes."

"Oh I see." The girl frowned, looked at the floor, and walked back to her table.

 _Wait, they think I do it like this on purpose?_ He looked up at his hair again, examining it anew in light of this realization. _Well that makes me seem quite vain. I mean, I am, but not in this area._

A couple of minutes later at the Hufflepuff table, Kurenai listened in on a conversation between some girls. It finished with, "so either he was lying and didn't want to tell me," a girl with black hair said, "or it really is in his genes and it's hopeless." A collective sigh went up from the group.

Kurenai looked across the hall at Kakashi. He was standing by the Gryffindor table, looking up, and poking at his hair experimentally. Kurenai smiled and leaned in toward the group. "I've seen Kakashi's father," the girls jumped and turned to look at her, "trust me, it's the genes."

Instead of relief of knowing the answer to their musings, or disappointment at the hopelessness of obtaining similar hair volume to the silver-haired guard, the girls gaped at Kurenai. Now _she_ was confused.

"You're really pretty," a red-headed girl said. "How are your eyes red like that? Is it magic or are they naturally red?"

 _Did they just notice that I was here?_

"Did you change them to match your dress? And where did you get it?" another asked.

Kurenai covered her eyes with her hand. The reaction was becoming very familiar to her on this mission. She was sorry she'd said anything.

The ninja didn't see the blonde boy, who they later learned was called Draco Malfoy, for a couple of days. When they did he was still acting like he was at death's door.

"The girl one said it was just a 'flesh wound' but Malfoy is in real pain!" Pansy said, fussing over him.

"I'm okay Pansy. I must stay strong," Malfoy said putting on a brave face.

"That's the way! Use your youth to overcome your obstacles. Shall we have a contest then? To test our commitment?" Guy had joined the conversation.

"How about a quiet contest?" Malfoy said, annoyed at being interrupted.

"Ahaha, my rival and I have already completed that one," Guy said, his laughter dying. "He won."

"Imagine that," Malfoy said.

"You! How about you? I can see by your youthful haircut that you're a man of action! Shall we have a footrace around the castle?" Crabbe looked up at his own bowl haircut in confusion.

"Crabbe, I want you to get a haircut immediately," Malfoy said urgently. His eyes flashed between his friend's head and Guy's. The familiarity was too much.

Crabbe obediently got up and ran out of the hall. He came back in a few minutes, hair cut off in patches at different lengths. Apparently instead of using a tidy-up charm he'd gone after it with a pair of scissors.

"Oh God Crabbe, here," Malfoy said, pulling out his wand with his injured hand. He waved it, a long sweeping motion from left to right and then a sharp jerk down. The blonde muttered something under his breath. Bits of Crabbe's hair began falling out until it was relatively even.

Guy appraised the boy's work. "His hair is not as youthful now but still a good choice!" Guy blinded the whole table with his smile.

After breakfast Professor Lupin approached Kakashi. The team leader took his hand out of his hair and gave him his full attention. "Kakashi, I would like you or someone from your team to join my class today. We'll be dealing with something that the students may find frightening. Your presence, I hope, will be reassuring."

"That won't be a problem, I'll go," Kakashi replied. He turned toward his team, spread throughout the hall. He used hand signals to tell them he'd be with the Professor. They each nodded in response. Turning back to Lupin he said, "lead the way."

Professor Lupin entered his classroom full of third-years with the Captain of the guards in tow. "You won't need your books today, just your wands. If you'll follow me please."

The students put their books back in their bags and grasped their wands, chatter breaking out. Kakashi waited for the last of the students to file out and followed behind them. From the end of the line, Kakashi saw Lupin confronting a small ghost. Suddenly the ghost flew away at a surprising speed. "Cool Professor!" one of the students exclaimed.

At last they'd reached the staff room. The potions professor, Snape, was the only occupant. He glared at Kakashi as he passed. Kakashi looked bored in response.

After Snape had left, Professor Lupin began his class and Kakashi positioned himself against the back wall. The lesson was about boggarts and how do defend against them.

Kakashi listened from the back wall, interested. It made sense that laughter conquered fear but laughter conquering the actual creature seemed unlikely.

Each student went in turn to battle the boggart starting with Neville. Professor Snape, a mummy, a shrieking green-skinned woman, a rat, a rattlesnake, an eyeball, a severed hand, and a spider that looked like it had come straight out of the Forest of Death. _These are their worst fears? Now_ that's _ridiculous._

The body of the spider, its legs having been removed by Ron, rolled at random. Some students leapt back with a squeal so Kakashi stepped forward lazily, putting himself between them and the boggart. Even though there was nothing to fear with the professor there, it didn't hurt to reassure the client.

There was another crack and for a split second, Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy were on the floor before Kakashi, dead and bleeding from multiple wounds. Kakashi looked down at them, his face blank, like stone. There were several gasps then, "here!" Professor Lupin yelled moving to stand beside Kakashi. There was another crack and the boggart changed shape again, into a cockroach. Lupin gave a silent direction and he and Kakashi stepped back together _._ "Finish it off Neville!" the Professor encouraged. The class was stunned by what they had just seen. However Neville, mouth hanging open, stepped forward boldly and Snape appeared once more. Another crack and the form of Snape was outfitted in a green dress and peaked hat once more. Neville forced out a laugh and the boggart exploded into smoke that quickly dissipated.

The room that had been full of laughter now had a mixture of anything from nervous chuckles to sobbing. The students who weren't crying into their hands or comforting their friends were staring at the guard. His face was expressionless but when he saw their looks he eye-smiled reassuringly. Some of the wizards and witches who were looking at him attempted to smile back but ended up grimacing and looking away. Guilt, fear, and astonishment permeated the room.

"Right," Lupin said briskly, "that's enough for today. Read the chapter on boggarts, I want a summary on Monday. Class dismissed."

As the last of the students finished filing out, Professor Lupin shut the door of the wardrobe and turned to Kakashi.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid my presence had the opposite effect of what you intended," Kakashi said.

"It's not your fault," Lupin reassured him. "Besides, they'll learn someday, one way or another, that there are more frightening things in this world than rats and disembodied eyeballs."

Kakashi made a mental note to never bring up to the students why he had one red eye.

The school was abuzz with what the third year Gryffindors had seen. Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy didn't know what had happened but it had to somehow involve them. They kept getting frightened looks from first one group of students, then another. As the day went on and the shock wore away the looks of fright became thoughtful. "Being afraid of the death of your friends is way worse than any banshee."

Kakashi said nothing about it. He simply stood by the Gryffindor table as always and glared at the floor. Eventually his team caught enough snippets of conversation so that Ebisu knew to look up the word "boggart". After that they had a pretty good guess as to what had happened.

One evening at dinner at the beginning of October, Kakashi made his way over to Kurenai. She rose from her seat at the Hufflepuff table to meet him. The girls she had been sitting with were whispering excitedly. Kurenai rolled her eyes.

"The Quidditch season is beginning," Kakashi said without preamble. "I would like you to patrol the pitch in the evenings. There's probably going to be at least two or three practices by various teams going on there every night."

"I understand."

Kakashi nodded and headed back over to the Gryffindor table. As Kurenai sat down, she saw a blonde wizard smiling at her from across the table. She was hoping he hadn't overheard, her little shadow.

"Did you need something Cedric?" Kurenai asked blankly.

"Did you know I'm the Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team?"

"I had no idea," Kurenai deadpanned.

He smiled at her again and went back to talking to his friends.

That night, and every night from then on, Kurenai was down by the Quidditch pitch, watching seven wizards fly back and forth on their broomsticks. Tonight the worn robes were a faded yellow (the teams practiced in old uniforms). One of the yellow forms buzzed Kurenai's seat in the stands. The kunoichi rolled her eyes again.

A few minutes later something flitted straight at Kurenai's face. She snatched it out of the air and looked at what was in her palm. She held a little golden ball the size of a smoke bomb but it had little wings on it. She was surprised, the wings were not flapping and the sphere was dented in several places. _Oops._

Just then, Cedric landed next to her. She held it out to him, "I think it's broken." Cedric's jaw dropped. She tried to look remorseful but the look on his face was too funny.

"Hold on, maybe I can fix it," Cedric said. He pulled out his wand and said, "Reparo." The golden ball was a sphere once more but the wings remained limp. "Hm, looks like I can repair the physical damage but not the enchantment that makes it free roaming." He looked at the snitch, a little disappointed. "I guess that's it for my practice tonight."

"You don't have another one?" Kurenai asked.

"Oh we do but by the time I run up to the castle and ask Madam Hooch for another and get back, our practice time at the pitch will be over."

Kurenai frowned. "I think I have a solution for that."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I'd have to use a spell on you of sorts. Do you trust me to do that?"

"Of course," the blonde grinned at her. "You can spell me any time you want to."

Kurenai held herself back from smacking the teenager. Instead she forced her hands through some signs. Suddenly, before Cedric's eyes, a snitch appeared. As he watched, it darted away across the field.

"It'll help you with seeking and chasing but I'm afraid you won't be able to practice your capture at all."

"We'll just see about that," Cedric said mounting his broom and kicking off.

Kurenai shook her head, smiling. For the rest of practice, the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team watched their Captain chase nothing from one end of the pitch to the other.


	7. Chapter 7: Hogsmeade and Horror

**Chapter 7: Hogsmeade and Horror**

The day of the first trip to Hogsmeade had finally arrived. Every student year three and above was excited to be able to visit the village. Every one, that is, except for Harry Potter.

"We'll tell you all about it," Hermione told Harry at breakfast. "And we'll still have the Halloween feast together!"

"Yeah and we'll bring you loads of sweets from Honeydukes. It'll be like you were there!" Ron exclaimed.

Meanwhile, in the back of the Great Hall, a very different conversation was taking place. "Ebisu, Guy, you'll accompany the students leaving for Hogsmeade. Kurenai and I will remain with the rest of the students in the castle. The dementors patrol the village every night but there's literally no protection during the daytime. Keep your guard up."

Ebisu and Guy nodded. "One other thing," Kakashi reached into his pocket and pulled out two small drawstring bags. "Lord Third had Dumbledore convert a _small_ part of our wages for this mission into wizarding money." Kakashi handed them each a bag. "Try to stay out of trouble. We'll see you at the feast tonight."

As Kurenai and Kakashi watched them go, Kurenai said, "do you think that was a good idea?"

Kakashi shrugged, "I can't expect you all to be at a hundred percent with no down time. And it's difficult to visit a village for the day without any pocket money."

Kurenai gave him a look. "Relax," Kakashi said. "Even if they're enjoying themselves in the village, they're still more protection for the students than they would have had without them at all. Besides, how much trouble could they get into?" Several hours later, Kakashi got his answer.

"What happened?!" Kakashi demanded when he and Kurenai burst into the hospital wing. Ebisu had sent a clone to say that the students had returned safely but Guy was in bad shape. The two ninja had rushed into the wing to see Guy laid out on a bed, gripping his middle, shivering in pain. Madam Pomfrey was fussing over him.

"Honeydukes," Ebisu responded, pushing his sunglasses up.

"What? Is that some magical creature? A spell?" Kakashi asked, eyes searching for Guy's injury.

"Idiots," Kurenai said, shaking her head at Ebisu and Guy.

Kakashi looked at Kurenai, then Ebisu. His concern melted away and annoyance replaced it. "Explain," he said to no one in particular.

"Honeydukes is the candy shop in Hogsmeade," Kurenai said, glaring at Ebisu. "I'm guessing that Guy has a stomach ache. Is that right Guy?"

"Such youthful candy," Guy gasped out. Madam Pomfrey tutted at him.

"I'm going to head down to the feast," Kakashi said flatly. He looked down at Guy, "each of you follow as you are able." He turned on his heel and left.

When Guy assured them that he'd be right behind them, Ebisu and Kurenai headed down as well. As soon as the two were alone, she smacked him upside the head. Ebisu looked at her. "Why did you do that? Your clone purposely made it seem like you two had been attacked. You knew that Guy only had a stomach ache."

"Just wanted to knock him down a few pegs. Remind him that he's not the master of the universe."

Kurenai nearly punched Ebisu down the rest of the corridor. "I think Kakashi _of all people_ knows he's not the 'master of the universe'. I know you try to crack his cool persona every chance you get, yeah, Guy and I have noticed." Ebisu opened his mouth and then closed it again. Kurenai's voice was slowly getting louder. "But that needs to end. Kakashi trusts you as a comrade and I know you trust him. All you're doing now is making this mission more difficult."

Ebisu stared at her in stunned silence.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I shouldn't have yelled."

"No, you're right. I like to needle Kakashi every once in awhile, 'the boy who made jonin', but I went too far. I'm just causing problems now." Ebisu sighed and looked down the corridor.

"Nobody here thinks they're better than you you know," Kurenai said, putting a hand on Ebisu's shoulder.

The genin grunted in reply.

They walked the rest of the way down to the Great Hall in silence. Guy made it to the feast but he was looking as green as his outfit. He didn't say anything the entire time, much to the pleasure of Slytherin house.

After the feast, each guard accompanied their students to the various dormitories. When Kakashi arrived at the corridor leading to the portrait of the Fat Lady, bringing up the tail end of the students, the hall was clogged with students.

"Let me through please, I'm head boy," Percy was saying over the noisy heads of his fellow Gryffindors.

 _I'd better make this one tiny._ Kakashi stepped in front of Percy and quickly weaved some signs. _Wind Release._ The Gryffindors that were clogging the corridor were suddenly nudged to either side of the passage, split down the middle by a gust of air.

After a moment of blinking Percy shut his mouth and said, "Ah, thank you Kakashi." But when he saw the Fat Lady's portrait, he froze mid-step. To no one in particular he said quietly, "get Professor Dumbledore."

Kakashi nodded, starring at the marred canvas as he made more signs. A single clone of Kakashi burst into life and took off. It seemed like Dumbledore was there in seconds. Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape were not far behind.

Surprisingly it was Peeves the Poltergeist who had all the answers that night. "When the Fat Lady wouldn't let him in he cut her painting to ribbons. That Sirius Black has an awful temper."

Kakashi didn't wait for an invitation. Ten clones sprang to life and waited for Dumbledore's orders. The students' jaws dropped. Last time Kakashi had produced a clone they'd been focused on the Fat Lady's portrait and hadn't seen it happen. "Kakashi, please inform your team that all of the students need to be brought to the Great Hall. We also need to search the castle immediately." The ten clones scattered.

"Percy," Kakashi prompted.

The Head Boy closed his mouth again and became business-like. "Right, come on let's go, back to the great hall. Stay together."

Kakashi brought up the rear of the line of frightened and confused Gryffindors. "Did you see what he did?" "How did he do that?" He ignored their mutterings, uncovered his other eye, and looked around. He couldn't see much through all the magic. His shadow clones, Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu were lost to him among the pulsing of magic through the very walls of the castle. He recovered the eye. _No finding him that way._

When they all met in the Great Hall Kakashi stationed his clones along with the prefects and head boy and girl. His team searched the castle with the teachers. Black was nowhere to be found.

Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu proceeded to search the grounds. Meanwhile Kakashi met up with Dumbledore in the Great Hall.

"Did you find him sir?" Percy asked.

"I'm afraid not Percy. The Fat Lady has been located but she's quite frightened. I've found a replacement portrait for Gryffindor tower but we'll have the students sleep here tonight. There's no point in waking them all up now."

"Some of them are already awake," Kakashi commented. Harry, Ron, and Hermione snapped their eyes shut.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I must go tell the dementors that our search is complete."

"Didn't they want to help sir?" Percy asked.

"Of course," Dumbledore said. "But no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I'm headmaster. Thank you for the help of your team tonight Kakashi."

The ninja nodded. "I'm sorry we weren't able to catch him tonight sir."

After Dumbledore had left Kakashi said, "you, the head girl, and the prefects should get some sleep too."

Percy looked at him and said, "thank you." The excitement of the night could only keep one awake for so long.

"Just doing my job." Kakashi eye-smiled at him. _Protecting the students is our mission but if we'd caught Black the mission would be over, the dementors could go home, and so could we._ Kakashi frowned under his mask and began to patrol the Great Hall alongside his clones as the last few students bedded down for the night.

The next morning the students all got up and were told that they could return to their various dormitories. Kakashi was leaning against a wall near the main exit, his team around him. The students confusedly looked at the multiple Kakashis that were sprinkled throughout the hall as they went.

When all the students had vanished, Kakashi released his clones. A second later he was sliding down the wall, barely conscious, the fatigue from his clones returning to his body in a wave of weariness. Kurenai, who was closest, grasped his arm and slung it over her shoulder, supporting him. "I told you you shouldn't have kept it up all night."

"Watch what you say," Kakashi panted. "Or I'll tell Asuma."

Kurenai scoffed and would have dropped him right there but he'd passed out and she wouldn't want his genius brain splattered all over the floor. Instead she grabbed his other arm and boosted him up, jackknifing him over her shoulder. Kakashi's arms swung limply behind her as she carried him out of the hall. Ebisu and Guy followed her silently.

"Guy," Kurenai said. "How are you doing?"

"I can function. I am still in the spring of my youth," Guy's declaration lacked the usual energy. It had been a long night and his stomach had not yet recovered from his adventure in Hogsmeade. "The three of us will cover the usual patrol rotation until Kakashi wakes up. However since Black can obviously get inside of the castle without using the methods we're guarding against, we'll have to meet with Dumbledore immediately so we can re-evaluate our strategy. Kurenai, let's head up to the hospital wing."

Kurenai almost had to turn completely around to see Guy's face because Kakashi's body was blocking her line of sight. "We're not going to let him sleep it off in our room?"

Guy shook his head, "we don't have the manpower to leave someone behind to keep an eye on him. And I am not leaving him alone in this castle like that," Guy nodded at Kakashi's unmoving form, "when Black can apparently get in here undetected." Guy's large eyebrows furrowed. "No, we'll have to leave him in the school's hospital."

"He's going to hate that," Ebisu muttered.

"I know but we don't have a choice," Guy said.

When they explained that Kakashi had over-exerted himself during the search for Sirius Black last night, Madam Pomfrey was more than happy to take care of him. "I can't thank you enough for looking out for our students."

"Well we _are_ getting paid," Kurenai pointed out, glad to be relieved of her burden. Kakashi was now lying in a bed with crisp white sheets. They had removed his armor and placed it next to the bed on the floor.

The witch waved Kurenai's explanation off, "I saw Harry Potter and Hermione Granger after they got off of the train at the start of term. They told me what you four did. All the money in the world wouldn't make me brave enough to put myself between a dementor and complete strangers."

"We strive to always do our best," Guy said. "Thank you again for taking care of Kakashi." The three ninja bowed to her and left.

Kakashi was awake by the next day. To someone who didn't know him all that well, his tone of voice would have indicated that he was maybe mildly irritated. Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu knew better; he was furious. "Why didn't you let me rest in our room? Sneaking away from this witch is harder than escaping the Leaf Village's hospital, which is full of ninja!" He eyed Madam Pomfrey suspiciously.

Ebisu rose to Guy's defense, laying out the logic in Guy's decision as it had been discussed previously. "Also, we are no longer permanently dwelling in that room and we thought it would be safer for you here. Each of us is now staying in a small room off of our Houses' common rooms. Based on the students' reactions, I'd say the rooms were not there before our arrival."

"We're allowed inside of the dormitories now?" Kakashi asked.

Guy nodded, "this was the new security measure that we agreed upon with Dumbledore. If for any reason the portrait fails, we will be a last line of defense. Ebisu has been staying in Gryffindor tower and has a clone in with the Ravenclaws."

"Also," Ebisu chimed in, "your temper seems to indicate that you need more rest and should stay in the hospital wing another day."

Kakashi glared daggers at Ebisu.

Kurenai wanted to tell Ebisu off, especially after what they'd discussed, but she couldn't help but agree with him a little. Kakashi was never this…angered by anything.

"Kakashi," Guy said. "Trust me; we'll manage for another day. I'd rather have you at one hundred percent tomorrow than fifty percent today."

Kakashi sighed and beat the back of his head against his pillow in frustration. "Very mature," Ebisu muttered.

Instead of looking angry, Kakashi pulled a hand out from under the sheets and rubbed his bare forehead, his headband sat on the nightstand. "I know. I'm sorry." Ebisu's eyes widened behind his sunglasses. When Kakashi pulled his hand away from his face he looked very young. "Okay. Don't take any unnecessary risks. We're here to defend the students in this school, not apprehend Black like a bunch of heroes saving the day."

"Right but capturing Black would make the mission incredibly easy," Guy said. The way he said it, it was hard to tell if he thought that was a good thing or not.

"Right," Kakashi said closing his eyes. Kurenai signaled to the young men that they should leave. Unbelievably Kakashi was already asleep.


	8. Chapter 8: Quidditch and Visits

**Chapter 8: Quidditch and Visits**

By the time the first Quidditch game of the season arrived, Kakashi was watching Gryffindor tower and Ebisu could return his real self to the Ravenclaw dormitories.

"The usual couple of people trying to sneak out," Ebisu reported as the duties changed hands. "The only other thing I'd like to mention is that Hermione Granger is time-traveling."

"She's what?" Kakashi asked, disbelieving.

"She's time-traveling." Ebisu repeated. "I confirmed it with Dumbledore. She's using something they call a 'time-turner' to re-do certain hours of the day to attend extra classes."

"And he didn't think that was relevant information for us to have?"

"Well, I suppose it doesn't make much of a difference to us. Whether she's in 9 o'clock once, twice, or thrice, we'll still be guarding her. The first time I noticed anything, I'd thought I'd seen her in an armchair by the fireplace but then there she was walking down the stairs from her dorm. It was late so I thought I must be mistaken. That was until her friends mentioned something about her schedule being doubled up. After that I paid more attention. A couple of days later, I watched her walk into the Gryffindor common room and hurry up the staircase to the girl's dorm. Five minutes later, she came in again with Potter and Weasley. It reminds me of our clones in a way, being in two places at once."

The wizarding world was giving Kakashi a headache. "Good work Ebisu, I'll take it from here."

The next morning, Fred and George Weasley arrived at breakfast covered in bright pink paint that they had done a poor job of washing out of their hair. Kakashi stood leaning innocently against the wall near Gryffindor's table. The fifth-year Weasleys glared at him as they passed. The Great Hall was filled with laughter and cat-calls. Kurenai had been talking to Ebisu when the twins made their appearance. "What the-" Kurenai said.

"I thought about warning Kakashi about them when he took over rooming in Gryffindor tower," Ebisu said, "but I figured he'd have it covered." He hid a smirk with a sniff and a turn of his head.

Kurenai turned to him, eyes wide. "They tried to get into your room? Why?"

"Well for me they wanted to set off fireworks inside of it while I was sleeping. But I think they had different motives for Kakashi." Kakashi caught the two older members of his team looking at him from across the hall and smiled through his mask.

The first game of the Quidditch season had arrived on the same morning as a thunderstorm. The line of umbrellas headed to the Quidditch pitch overlapped and swayed like scales on a fish.

"I can't believe they're going to be flying up in the _air_ in this," Kurenai said looking up at the rain. Another flash of lightning darted across the sky.

"Well at least we don't have to worry about the lightning," Guy said elbowing Kakashi.

"Did you say something Guy?"

Kurenai snorted and Ebisu pushed his sunglasses up on his nose.

"Alright, you know the drill," Kakashi said. "Scatter and patrol. This storm would be excellent cover for Black to infiltrate the grounds. He did it once, he can do it again." The ninja spread out in the stands, keeping an eye on everything. A whistle was blown and the game began.

The cold rain seeped into everything. Kakashi's mask soaked his face and his usually defiant hair hung down in drooping wet spikes around his headband. He couldn't see any of the game and had to squint to see the next section of stands. Frustrated, he straightened his headband and opened his Sharingan. Something stood out to him immediately. He could see the soft glow of the wizards and witches but high in the stands opposite of him there was a lone, four-legged creature emitting a glow similar to a wizard. It was hard to make out and Kakashi started working his way over to that section. He saw the form retreat out of the stands and began to follow it when a cold more piercing than the rain engulfed him. Alarm bells went off in his head and he whipped his head toward the center of the arena. There, near the ground, floated dozens of dementors and they were all looking up. Kakashi followed their gaze and saw Harry fifty feet up listing to the side on his broomstick.

Water squished in his sandals as he bolted to the front of the stands. His hand reached for a kunai to distract the dementors but his team was already on it. A large fireball lit up the arena floor scattering the creatures. Fire bullets blossomed from the other side of the stadium forcing the dementors to do some fancy hovering to avoid the balls of flame. But this was only on the outskirts of Kakashi's awareness. As he neared the edge of the stands, another hooded figure was already floating over towards the silver haired youth. Obito's crushed body rose into Kakashi's mind's eye. He shook the image away.

Kakashi channeled chakra into his feet, launching himself at the dementor. Too late it pulled back right into Kakashi's downward swiping kunai. Kakashi pushed off of the back of the dementor. He hurtled through the air and freezing rain toward his target. The image of his father curled up and dead on the floor of their house swam before his eyes.

Kakashi reached out and caught Harry, who had fallen off of his broomstick. The young jonin rotated the Gryffindor so he could hold him with one arm. Kakashi twisted his head around to look at the fast approaching ground. His free hand weaved a few signs. _Waterstyle: Water sphere._ Below, Kakashi saw water from the ground and several thousand rain drops sucked into a collective mass the size of a car. Kakashi fed the jutsu more and more chakra as fast as he could. _Bigger it needs to be bigger or it won't create enough resistance to slow us down before we hit the ground._ In a last ditch effort, Kakashi maneuvered their bodies so his would cushion Harry's fall. _That's all_.

They hit the water sphere and Kakashi passed out.

"Is he going to be okay?" Harry asked, concern in his voice.

"My rival will bounce back from this in no time!" Guy proclaimed. Kakashi could practically hear the thumbs up Guy had just used.

"Touch him and die," Kurenai said coldly.

"Oh come on Kurenai, we just want to see his face!" Fred whined.

"Fred, George, leave him alone! He saved Harry's life for Pete's sake!" Ron shouted.

"I will throw you all out if you can't keep your voices down. There are people trying to rest," Madam Pomfrey hissed.

Kakashi's eye smile gave him away. "Up already Captain?" Ebisu said.

"Shouldn't you be patrolling the castle?" Kakashi countered, opening his eye.

"Good to have you back," Ebisu smiled. "I'll get on that then." With that Ebisu turned around and left the hospital wing at a jog.

Kakashi threw his covers off and put his feet on the floor. He grabbed his headband off of the side table and put it on as he stood. Madam Pomfrey swooped in. "Kakashi lie back down this instant. I don't know what your friends meant by chakra-exhaustion but-."

"Madam Pomfrey," Kakashi interrupted her, buckling on his armor. "I can assure you that I am perfectly fine. I'm sorry my _teammates_ alarmed you but it's not as bad as they thought." He glared at Guy and Kurenai. "I have a job to do. Good night."

Madam Pomfrey watched in shock as the three ninja strode out. Guy and Kurenai flanked their Captain as they walked, just in case. The witch turned around to see the Gryffindor Quidditch Team plus Ron and Hermione looking shocked as well. She huffed. "That's enough visiting for today. I've let you all stay too long as it is." As the mud-splattered Gryffindors made their way out, Harry opened his mouth to speak. "Don't even try it," Madam Pomfrey snapped.

"So," Kakashi said as they walked down the corridor, "what happened?"

"After you made your water sphere, Dumbledore ran out onto the field and called the dementors off. He was quite angry. Then he cast a spell to slow your fall so when you hit the sphere the splash was in slow-motion," Guy said.

"Between Ebisu and Guy's fire jutsu and you stopping the rain, we had a clear view," Kurenai said.

"I stopped the rain?"

"Well, pretty much all the water in the arena got consumed by your water jutsu. What were you thinking giving it that much chakra? You could have really hurt yourself," Kurenai crossed her arms.

"It was most unwise my rival." Guy's voice betrayed his concern.

Kakashi knew that they were right. "I'm sorry. It was hard to concentrate."

Kurenai's eyes softened, "none of us has had an easy life. But we can only imagine what you have to re-live every time a dementor gets close."

"I don't want your pity," Kakashi bit out. His words had sharp edges.

"Well you don't want our friendship either but you'll have that nonetheless," Kurenai shot back.

"'Teammates'," Guy scoffed. "You are my eternal rival, don't forget it."

"I think you make that impossible to forget Guy," Kurenai said.

"That's right," Guy beamed.

Kakashi remained silent, absorbing the conversation into his tired brain; tucking it into a safe corner of his mind.

Several weeks passed without incident. Quidditch practices and classes were attended, homework turned in, and corridors patrolled. The four ninja were quite used to their routine by now. Guy continued to challenge himself to run laps around Hogwarts if the Slytherins didn't develop more up-beat attitudes. Even Malfoy had tired of insulting the energetic chunin and just let him give his speeches unopposed.

Fred and George had changed tactics and were now interrogating Kakashi's teammates one by one. Ebisu had gotten ten minutes into a story about how a princess had decreed that Kakashi's face was too perfect to be viewed by any mortal before they realized he was pulling their leg. The Ravenclaw girls who'd been eavesdropping seemed a little disappointed.

Guy was more than happy to tell them why Kakashi kept his face covered. "My rival is simply not as handsome as I," he stated sadly. "He conceals his face so that he will not lose to me in a beauty contest and thus fall further behind in our ongoing rivalry." Unsure if Guy was joking with them or actually believed that to be true, they decided to ask the female ninja.

Kurenai told them that they had a better chance of going on a date with her than finding out what Kakashi's face looked like.

"Really? You'd go on a date with us?" They said together, glints in their eyes.

Twenty minutes later, Fred and George found themselves turning all of their fireworks in to Mr. Filch. They couldn't quite recall how they'd gotten there.

As the Christmas break approached, another Hogsmeade trip was scheduled to take place the last weekend of the term. It was Kakashi and Kurenai's turn to accompany the students to the village. As the ninja were leaving the castle Fred and George rushed by them. The twins laughed and turned back to look at them. "Now what do you suppose they're up to?" Kurenai said eyeing them suspiciously.

Kakashi shrugged, he was looking ahead at the dementors flanking the gate. The December air suddenly became colder but Kakashi didn't hear Rin or see Obito or his father again. He didn't notice Kurenai smiling politely at Filch or Filch glaring at them as they passed.

"It's interesting," Kakashi spoke up, surprising Kurenai. "That at the start of term they let the students ride in the coaches with the interesting horses but for trips to Hogsmeade they just walk."

Before Kurenai could answer, Cedric sidled up to them. "Don't be ridiculous Kakashi," Cedric said with a grin. "Nothing pulls the coaches; they are enchanted to go by themselves. I know you're both unfamiliar with our magic. Luckily Kurenai has me around to be her native guide. I don't know who you have over at Gryffindor but they've been pulling your leg."

"You know, for a Seeker you're kind of blind," Kakashi muttered before Kurenai could explain. She flashed the hand signal for 'hold your position'. It wasn't an exact translation but Kakashi knew what she meant. He went quiet and waited.

"What did he say?" Cedric asked, the genial expression on his face fading a bit.

"He said 'he must have been blind to not have noticed that'," Kurenai forced a laugh. "That Fred and George, they're such jokers."

Cedric brightened again, "yeah, that they are. Well, see you there." The Hufflepuff ran off to join his friends.

"Is something wrong with his head?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm guessing Ebisu didn't mention the thestrals to you in his magical creature briefing?"

Kakashi shook his head.

Kurenai sighed, "well, he couldn't have possibly mentioned every creature. With the ones on the Hogwarts grounds alone they must need magic just to feed them all." She pondered this and then continued, "thestrals are the animals you saw pulling the coaches. A person can only see them if they've seen death."

"Oh," Kakashi said.

"Yeah. Hagrid actually looked kind of sorry when he found out that all of us could see them."

This ended the conversation as they entered the bustling streets of Hogsmeade. The thatch-roofed cottages covered in snow made the village look quite picturesque.

"Okay, I was thinking I could start on the north end of town and you on the south. When we meet in the middle we can switch to-."

"Kakashi," Kurenai interrupted him. He looked at her. Her hands were on her hips. "We are not going to patrol the town. The dementors already do that."

"They only patrol at night," Kakashi pointed out.

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Kakashi, you are a good Captain, but we all need a break sometime."

"The holiday break is coming up. You'll get a long break then. With most of the students away it'll be a lot easier on all of us."

"I wasn't talking about me," Kurenai wanted to shout but she kept her voice level.

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. "I got a break when I was laid up in the hospital wing."

"Okay let's talk about the hospital wing," Kurenai said winding up. "We both know that those two incidents shouldn't have landed you in the hospital at all, even taking the dementors into account. You're pushing yourself too hard normally so when we do have to fight you aren't nearly as-" she sought for the right word. _Careful? Versatile? Useful? No._ "You aren't nearly as resilient as you usually are. Now as a friend I am ordering you to take this afternoon to relax."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "As a friend, you're ordering me?"

"Besides," Kurenai continued, brushing aside the lack of logic in her last statement. "The students aren't going to be on the easternmost edge of town or wherever you were thinking about patrolling. Most of them are going to be here in the heart of town anyway. Now come on," Kurenai grasped his arm and began to drag him down the street to a snow-covered inn. "Ebisu said that there's a beverage here that's a student favorite."

They walked in the door behind four people, one of which could only be Hagrid. Upon entering the establishment Kakashi was immediately put off by the noise and crowd. Kurenai tugged him to the bar and ordered two butterbeers.

Kakashi saw, out of the corner of his eye, a decorated pine tree seemingly float itself in front of a table. Maybe magical decorations moved every so often? He kept an eye on it as he and Kurenai drank their butterbeer at the crowded bar. It really warmed them up and made Kakashi significantly more cheerful. Kurenai was ordering two more when they heard Hagrid shout, "filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Half of the room went quiet and they heard Professor McGonagall shush him.

They drank from their tankards slowly and watched Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and another man leave. A minute later, three students emerged from behind the tree. The copy ninja's eye narrowed as he stood up and made his way over to them. Ron and Hermione froze looking up at the looming form of Kakashi.

"Harry, what do you think you're doing here?" Kakashi's voice barely penetrated Harry's brain.

Harry could hardly think, his mind was already mulling over the new information he'd just received. _Black was my father's friend? He betrayed my parents to Voldemort?_

"Harry," Kakashi said sharply. Harry blinked and looked at him. Recognition and then horror crossed his face. "What are you doing here?" Kakashi annunciated each word.

"I uh- um-" Harry couldn't form words.

"He just wanted to see Hogsmeade Kakashi, please don't turn him in." Hermione withered under Kakashi's glare.

"Yeah that's right," Ron began to back Hermione up but shut his mouth when Kakashi's gaze rested on him.

"Kurenai," Kakashi said. "Please accompany Mr. Potter back to the school. I want to know _exactly_ how he got here without having to pass the dementors or the school's regular defenses." Kakashi turned to Harry. "It's not my job to enforce the rules at Hogwarts, but if you set foot outside the castle grounds again, without one of my teammates with you, I will personally deliver you to Professor McGonagall and explain to her precisely what you've been doing."

Harry nodded. Ron gulped. Hermione said, "thank you Kakashi."

"Shall we?" Kurenai said to Harry, gesturing for him to lead the way.

It was easier for Kurenai to sneak into Honeyduke's cellar than Harry and by the time they had returned to the castle, she had plenty to report. "There are two secret passages into the castle that the caretaker doesn't know about," Kurenai told the other ninja. They were in the old room that they shared. They didn't want to be overheard.

"You can't be serious?" Kakashi said.

"Oh, completely. Harry has some sort of magic map that shows him who's where and different ways to get in and out of the castle unseen."

"That's slightly creepy," Ebisu said. "He can find out where anyone is at any time?"

Kakashi brushed the comment aside. "He has a map?! Where did that come from?"

"He wouldn't tell me but I have a pretty good idea. Unfortunately, it would seem, his source was not the makers."

Guy counted off in his head, _Harry, the previous owners of the map, and whoever made the map in the first place._ "So we have a minimum of three people who know where these passages are?" Guy said.

"We can bet on more than three," Kurenai said. "Whenever Harry referred to his source _or_ the makers, he said 'they'. Not to mention that there could have been more owners besides Harry's source."

"Where are the passages Kurenai?" Kakashi said.

"One is on the third floor corridor by that witch statue," Kurenai answered. "The other is under that ludicrous tree that broke Harry's broomstick."

"Guy," Kakashi ordered, "go check out the tree. Find out where it goes and check to see if it's been used recently." Guy took off down the hall.

When Guy returned, his face was scratched up but he was beaming. "What happened to you?" Kurenai asked.

"That Whomping Willow is a most worthy opponent but I came out victorious," Guy said teeth flashing.

"What did you find Guy," Kakashi asked.

"Besides a new sparring partner, I discovered that the tunnel under the willow tree leads to the building called 'the Shrieking Shack'. It is located on the outskirts of Hogsmeade." Kakashi gave Kurenai a pointed look that she ignored. "It does seem to have been used recently but not for a few weeks."

"Okay then, I'll have a word with Dumbledore about the passages. No need to tell him how I found out," Kakashi added when Kurenai looked distressed. "We'll pay special attention to them during our rounds."

It had turned out that the Whomping Willow exit was used by Professor Lupin for when he became a werewolf. Because of this Dumbledore had put Lupin in charge of monitoring it. However, that didn't keep Guy from going there almost daily to spar with it.


	9. Chapter 9: Break and Break-in

**Chapter 9: Break and Break-in**

Kakashi had been right. When Christmas Break began things became easier on all of them. With only a handful of students to monitor and most of the castle empty, their job became a piece of cake. Kakashi could even do a head count with his Sharingan from anywhere in the castle if he wanted to. However, the result of this was always a headache and often a grumpy Kakashi so his team didn't encourage it.

Kakashi noticed that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all decided to stay at school over break. When he saw them in the common room one evening, pouring over law books, he asked them what they were doing.

"Remember when Buckbeak attacked Malfoy during Care of Magical Creatures?" Hermione prompted.

Kakashi nodded.

"Well his father put in a formal complaint to the school governors. Now there's going to be a hearing and if Hagrid loses then Buckbeak will be killed."

"I see, so you're trying to help him with his defense?"

The three of them nodded. Hermione stood up. "I'm not finding anything in these," she said picking up a large stack. "I'm going to take them back to the library and see what else I can find."

"Say hello to Ebisu for me," Kakashi said. "He's been down there most of his free time. There aren't any Ravenclaws who stayed over so he's been reading."

Hermione smiled, "I will."

Christmas Day arrived. Kakashi woke to find that a Christmas cake, baked by Mrs. Weasley, had been delivered to the foot of his bed that morning. It disturbed him that the house elves could sneak around his room while he was asleep without him noticing. He was examining his fine cake when he heard a yell from up the staircase. He sprang off of his bed and bolted up the spiral staircase to find Ron holding Scabbers in one hand, hopping on one foot. A shrill whistling coming from a small device in Harry's trunk had filled the room. Harry reached for the Sneakoscope to shove it back into his socks. Hermione's cat was hissing at the device. Hermione picked the cat up and tried to sooth it.

"Everything alright in here?" Kakashi asked briskly.

They turned to look at him, noticing him for the first time. "Everything would be fine if Hermione kept that cat away from Scabbers."

"It's not Crookshanks's fault if Scabbers is getting old," Hermione shot back.

Kakashi tried to change the subject, "thank your mother for me Ron. It was very kind of her to make me a cake." Kakashi may as well have been talking to the door. Ron and Hermione glared daggers at each other. He sighed.

Harry took his broomstick in one hand, his Service Kit in the other, and headed down to the common room. Kakashi and Ron followed him. Hermione ran down and then up stairs to lock Crookshanks in the girl's dormitory.

Harry examined his new broomstick excitedly. Kakashi raised his eyebrow at it. "And you have no idea where it came from?"

Harry shook his head, not taking his eyes off of it. The glossy broomstick shone in the firelight.

"Did it occur to you that Black sent it and it's booby trapped?"

"That's what I said," Hermione stated, coming back down the stairs.

"Harry," Kakashi said as understandingly as he could, "maybe you should have the teachers check it out before you try riding it."

Harry and Ron looked at the broomstick longingly. "I suppose," Harry said, uncertain.

"I'm sure McGonagall wants you to have this broom just as much as you do," Kakashi continued, soothing. "You should trust her to do everything she can to get it back to you, once she knows it's safe."

Harry nodded reluctantly. "You're probably right," Harry said. He looked like someone had kicked his puppy. Kakashi nodded, satisfied. There was nothing he could do about the cat/rat argument, but this was something he could, and should, resolve.

They all went to their respective rooms to change, then Harry led the way to Professor McGonagall's office. After wishing her a Happy Christmas, Harry laid the broomstick before her and explained.

McGonagall's eyes widened as the tale went on. "Well I'm certainly glad you brought this to me, Potter, instead of rushing off to the pitch to ride it. Your friends are right, the person who sent this to you could mean you harm. I'm sure Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will want to look at it right away."

"When do you think I'll get it back Professor?" Harry's voice was anxious.

"It's hard to say Potter," McGonagall said. "I'll let you know the instant they're finished." A gleam entered her eye. "Wouldn't want our Seeker to be unfamiliar with his new broomstick at the next match would we?"

Harry smiled for the first time since Kakashi suggested he turn it in. The students started filing out but when Kakashi didn't move they turned back. "I'll be right there," he said, still facing McGonagall. Ron shrugged at Harry. Hermione looked at the ninja thoughtfully but didn't say anything. The three left.

"Is there something you-" Professor McGonagall started but Kakashi held up a hand.

"Keep going," Kakashi called.

Shuffling could be heard outside as the students scrambled away from the door. Kakashi eye-smiled at McGonagall, inviting her to continue. "Is there something you need Kakashi?" McGonagall asked, looking disapprovingly at the door.

"Do we have any idea who the broomstick might have come from? I noticed it has a serial number..." Kakashi trailed off. McGonagall was already writing the number down on a piece of parchment.

"I had already intended to look into that," McGonagall said. "Is there anything else?"

"Just this: if the person who sent the broom, be it Black or anyone else, really wanted Harry to come to harm wouldn't he or she have just cursed the broom so when Harry touched it he'd die?"

McGonagall shook her head. "The house elves of Hogwarts pick up on things like that even through a gift's wrapping. A charm that will buck Mr. Potter off of his broomstick when it reaches a certain height would be easier to conceal." She stood. "I need to get this broomstick to Professor Flitwick immediately." Kakashi nodded and opened the office door and they both left.

The Christmas break was a break for all. Kurenai and Kakashi sparred by the lake, Ebisu haunted the library, and Guy gave the Whomping Willow a good exercise every day.

It was in the library that Ebisu saw Hermione most often. Usually they said nothing to each other, both occupied with their own thirst for knowledge. However as the days passed, one question kept burning at the back of Hermione's mind. She hadn't been able to shake it since she'd met Ebisu on the train. No matter how much she tried to ignore it she couldn't. When she realized there was no other way to find out she took courage and sought out Ebisu in the stacks.

"Ebisu?" she said. He pulled his eyes away from the spines of the books before him and looked at her. As he did, Hermione noticed that the right lens of his sunglasses was cracked. Also, on the same side of his head Ebisu had a welt that extended from where the cracked glasses met his face into his hair above his right ear. "Oh what happened?!" Hermione exclaimed. She reached out to him instinctively but Ebisu recoiled from her hand.

"It's nothing really," he said, pushing his broken sunglasses up his nose delicately. "Guy convinced me that I should start training with that devil tree you have on the grounds."

"The Whomping Willow," Hermione said. "Harry and Ron got attacked by it last year after they crashed a car into it."

"Wait a minute," Ebisu said. "That tree attacked students and it's still here? It seems odd that trees are treated differently than animals that attack students."

Hermione nodded, understanding his meaning. Buckbeak was on her mind as well. "I don't think that the kind of magical creature that attacked is what makes the difference in these cases."

They both stood in silence for awhile. Hermione took courage and began again. "What I really came over here to ask," Hermione said. "Is why do you wear sunglasses all the time, even indoors?"

Ebisu regarded her. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Contrary to popular belief, I do know that not all things can be learned from books, if there is something to be learned." She added the last part as an afterthought, thinking of Divination.

Ebisu answered, "my eyes are sensitive to light, they have been since I was a child."

Sensing Ebisu's discomfort Hermione tried to lighten the mood. "Does that mean Kakashi's lungs are sensitive to dust?"

Ebisu laughed lightly, "not you too?"

"No, I'll leave that mystery to Fred and George." Hermione shook her head, smiling.

"Good," Ebisu said almost to himself. "You would have just frustrated yourself."

Hermione bit her lip. "Can I see them for a second?" She asked, indicating his sunglasses.

Ebisu regarded her again then he slowly removed his shades and handed them to her. His eyes squinted at the light in the library.

"I could have done it with them on your face but I feared that that wouldn't make you feel any more comfortable." She pointed her wand at the broken lens and said, "reparo." The lens seemed to mend itself and Hermione handed the glasses back to Ebisu.

The ninja examined the sunglasses before putting them back on. He opened his mouth to speak but Hermione was talking again.

"Besides," Hermione said, continuing her train of thought from before, "if Kakashi walked in and saw me pointing my wand at your face he'd probably have killed me." She laughed nervously.

Ebisu frowned, looking at the ground.

She tried again, "he's very protective of you three you know."

"We know," Ebisu said without elaboration. His guard up at the topic of conversation.

Hermione couldn't hold off the awkward silence any longer. So she said, "your eyes are very beautiful," then hurried away.

Ebisu's face heated up. He turned to hide it but she was already gone. "Thank you," he said into the silence.

Sadly Christmas Break came to its inevitable close. The rest of the students returned and it was business as usual. Then one night in Gryffindor tower, in the midst of one triumph, disaster struck.

Harry's Firebolt had been returned to him. It was deemed completely safe by several professors of the school. "You've got a friend somewhere Potter," McGonagall said smiling.

When Harry returned to the common room Ron shared in his joy. "This is brilliant! No one will be able to touch us in Quidditch now!"

"I'd better take it upstairs," Harry said after the admirers and well-wishers had gone back to what they were doing.

"I'll take it. I've got to give Scabbers his tonic anyway," Ron reverently accepted the broom and headed upstairs. Moments later a shout came down from above.

Once again Kakashi found himself frantically rushing up the boys' dormitory stairs and on the third year landing. He burst into Ron's dorm and saw the redhead starring at his own bed sheets. He ripped them off of the bed and marched downstairs. Kakashi covered the visible part of his face with his hand. He then sighed, ran the same hand through his hair, and followed Ron back down.

"Look!" Ron hollered. He shook the offending sheet in Hermione's face. "Scabbers! Look! He's gone and there's blood all over my sheets! Just guess what hairs I found on the floor?!" He threw some ginger cat hair onto Hermione's homework.

The room was silent. Nobody knew what to say. Ron dropped the sheets at Hermione's feet and marched back up the stairs. His bed had already been changed by the house elves. He laid down on it and began to howl.

Ron and Hermione didn't speak for several days. The witch took to avoiding the common room, doing her homework in the library. When Quidditch practice began again, Harry invited Ron to ride his Firebolt. Ron brightened up for the first time in days. As they entered the pitch they got a cordial wave from Kurenai. Ron joined her in the stands when the beginning of the practice neared. She and Wood seemed to be talking about something.

"Come on Kurenai, what's it going to take?" Wood had his broom over his shoulder and his other arm was crossed in front of him.

"Oliver, I told you no," Kurenai replied evenly.

"Please? Just a little something, anything at all!" As he said this, Kurenai uncrossed her legs and stood up to face him.

"Oliver, if you don't leave right now I'm going to show you my ugly side." Wood perceived that Kurenai's red eyes began to glow.

Wood recoiled. "Okay okay fine." He walked down the stairs of the stands to his team, muttering. The Chasers were whispering amongst themselves while starring at Wood.

"Wood," Katie said, arms crossed, "what was that about?" She gestured at Kurenai and glared at him.

Wood seemed suddenly embarrassed. Fred and George instantly paid more attention, this could be good. Wood muttered something that they couldn't hear.

"What was that?" Katie said her face was turning red.

"Kurenai wouldn't tell me any of the Ravenclaw team's plays," Wood said sullenly.

Katie's eyes widened and her stance relaxed. "Oh, is that all?"

"What else could there be? I could have built a whole strategy off of that information!" Wood lamented. "She's at every practice she must know something!" Quickly changing moods but not topics Wood began to explain to Harry that Cho Chang was Ravenclaw's new Seeker.

The practice went extremely well. Everyone was energized by the presence of the Firebolt. Complicated maneuvers went off without a hitch and Wood didn't have one suggestion for improvement.

"I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow. Unless…Harry, you've been working on your dementor problem haven't you?" Wood asked.

"There isn't going to _be_ a dementor problem," Kurenai said firmly, joining them out of nowhere. Ron wasn't sure how she'd gotten down there so quickly. He'd left her alone in the stands ages go.

Wood nodded and started walking back up to the castle with his Chasers and Beaters. Harry waved to Ron and he hurried into the pitch.

"Here you go," Harry said, handing the Firebolt to Ron. Ron's eyes lit up as he hopped on and pushed off. He rose high into the air and circled the pitch. Harry walked about on the ground, watching him. The red-head dove and whirled and even blocked a quaffle that he himself had thrown at a goalpost a moment earlier.

When it started getting dark Kurenai figured it was time to head in. "Okay guys, that's enough."

Ron swooped down and landed next to Harry whooping. Kurenai led the way back to the castle as the wizards began to talk about house points. As they made their way up to the castle, Harry saw something glinting in the darkness.

"What's that?" Harry said.

Kurenai stopped and turned around. Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, " _Lumos_."

Ron's wand lit up the surrounding area. He held it high and they could see Crookshanks crouched next to a tree. "It's that lousy cat," Ron said, bending down to pick up a stone. Crookshanks was already gone. Ron chucked the stone he'd found back down. Kurenai continued walking and the boys followed her. "See? She's still letting him wander wherever he wants."

Kurenai turned around and stopped to face the boys. It was so dark that they almost ran into her. "Kurenai what's the big idea?" Ron protested.

"Ron, get your head out of your butt and pay attention," Kurenai said. "Hermione feels terrible that Scabbers is dead. However, I don't know how things are here but where we come from, cats eat rats. It is not Hermione's fault that Crookshanks got into your dormitory. They have doors don't they?"

"Well yeah but-"

"But you left it open so Scabbers could leave whenever he wanted to right?"

"Of course," Ron sputtered.

"Just like Hermione did for her pet?" Kurenai said. Ron looked down. "All I'm saying is, if your friendship isn't worth more to you two than a cat and a rat then it's a good thing you stopped being friends now rather than later."

Kurenai turned around and started walking again. Harry and Ron followed in silence. When they got back to the castle Harry went to the common room, Kurenai headed to the Ravenclaw dormitories, and Ron went to the library. Later on Ron and Hermione came into the Gryffindor common room together.

The next day was the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor Quidditch game. The entire team waited for Harry to go down to breakfast so that the Firebolt got an honor guard. Kakashi rolled his eye and followed them to the Great Hall.

At Wood's suggestion, Harry put the Firebolt in the middle of the table so that students from other houses could come by and see it. When Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle came over, Guy followed them.

"Sure you'll be able to handle that one Potter? I heard it has all kinds of extra features," Malfoy said. "Pity it doesn't come with a parachute. It would come in handy if you see a dementor and faint again." Crabbe and Goyle laughed along with Malfoy.

"Pity yours doesn't come with an extra arm to catch the snitch for you, then maybe you could win a couple of games," Harry retorted.

"Ah, the springtime of youth brings out rivalries everywhere," Guy said boisterously to Kakashi. "Their rivalry is just like ours."

"No Guy," Kakashi disagreed, "I don't think they're even remotely alike." Kakashi eyed Malfoy as he and his henchmen walked away. Malfoy waved Marcus Flint over and the four of them huddled together and then hurried out of the Great Hall. Kakashi turned toward the Hufflepuff table. Attentive as ever, Kurenai met Kakashi's eye almost immediately. He signaled, _follow them,_ with his hand. Kurenai didn't have to ask who and she slipped out of the Great Hall.

As the school made their way down to the Quidditch field, Kakashi was feeling for Kurenai's chakra. _Maybe I was wrong. No, there she is._

Kurenai was under the stands on the Ravenclaw side of the field. Kakashi made his way over to her. "Everything okay here?" He asked smoothly. He took in the scene under the bleachers. Kurenai had her arms crossed and was leaning against one of the supports for the stands. Next to her were three long black cloaks in a pile. Next to the cloaks, starring off into space, were Draco, Marcus, Gregory, and Vincent. The four Slytherins didn't move when Kakashi approached. They just stood there, eyes wide, mouths slightly open.

"I've got it under control," Kurenai said.

"What were they planning?" Kakashi eyed the long cloaks.

"They thought it'd increase their chances of winning the Quidditch cup if the Gryffindor Seeker were spooked and lost the game," Kurenai replied lightly.

"I see," Kakashi said. "I hope you were kind?"

"Well we are supposed to be keeping a low profile. I'm feeding them a scenario where they just can't figure out how to get into the cloaks. They're trying so hard too," Kurenai fake-pouted, hand on chin. "Sadly, they won't untangle themselves until the match is over."

"Are we going to have to worry about this happening again?" Kakashi asked.

Kurenai shook her head, "they're going to be pretty embarrassed about this little failure. How are they going to explain to themselves that they were too thick to figure out how to use a cloak? If they told their friends about the prank beforehand, the humiliation will be even worse."

Kurenai and Kakashi did not go to Snape about his insubordinate students. Kurenai had done enough. It was also a reward in and of itself to watch the four wizards' faces pop up in the stands and see their shocked expressions at realizing that the match was already over.

That night there was quite a party in the Gryffindor common room. At midnight Kakashi informed them that they'd officially won the game yesterday and they needed to give it a rest. Not to be outdone, Percy popped up and said, "yes, congratulations to our Quidditch team, now off to bed, all of you."

There was some grumbling at this but one look in Percy's direction and everyone went away in a hurry. What Percy didn't know was that Kakashi was standing right behind him and giving everyone death glares.

A couple of hours later a sound in the common area woke Kakashi from his light sleep. He thought it might be someone trying to restart the party but then he heard something come in contact with his door and he was up. No one had tried entering his room after Fred and George's very public failure.

When he tried to open his door it was jammed. There was something wedged in the crack between the door and its frame. The harder he'd try to pull, the more stuck the door became. He thought of punching the door but a fist-sized hole wouldn't be helpful in actually getting it open. The ninja opened his left eye and saw a lone adult wizard hurrying away from the boy's staircase and back to the portrait hole. _Black._ Chidori burst into life and Kakashi slammed it into his door, obliterating it. Chunks of wood and splinters exploded into the empty common room. Kakashi stopped and made a single clone. _No need to alert the team with clones, by using chidori I've almost guaranteed that they'll come running._

He stationed his doppelganger in the common room, both to reassure the students and guard against further intrusion in case Black came back. Sir Cadogan yelled at Kakashi as he thrust his portrait aside and sprinted down the corridor that connected the portrait hole to the main hallway. He looked left and right but couldn't see him with either eye. The silver-haired youth closed his right eye. The walls in Hogwarts, being filled with magic themselves, made it difficult to see wizards and witches through them much less through multiple layers. Kakashi stood in that corridor attempting to sift through multiple layers of magic with his Sharingan but having no clue as to which way Black went and since the castle liked to change, it was a losing battle.

The first of his team to arrive was Guy who was currently on patrol. He was closely followed by Professor McGonagall who, Kakashi assumed, was alerted by a house elf whenever there was a disturbance in her house's common room.

"What on earth is going on?" McGonagall demanded. She wore a hairnet and a robe over her nightgown. As she got closer she saw his eye and gave a little start. She'd never seen it before, her face went pale.

"Black is in the castle," Kakashi said shortly to them both and upon hearing his words Guy immediately left again. Kakashi continued to McGonagall, "he tried to get into the boys' dormitory but I don't think he expected me to react so quickly. I have a clone with your students but I'm sure your presence would be most welcome to the Head Boy."

"Has the Headmaster been informed?" the now paler professor asked.

Kakashi thought for a moment. "I believe Kurenai is closest and alerting him," he informed her, once again looking at her with his red eye. She nodded and hurried down the corridor to the portrait hole.

"Sir Cadogan," McGonagall asked, "did you let a man inside of Gryffindor tower?"

"Certainly," the knight declared.

McGonagall started. "But what about the password?"

"He had them my lady, the whole week's on a piece of paper." McGonagall just stared, unable to completely absorb the absurdity of it all.

Kakashi ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. He hadn't had a chance to put his headband on, or his armor for that matter, and he felt naked without it. Ebisu came running around the corner at the end of the hall as McGonagall stepped through the portrait hole to join Kakashi's clone. Kakashi could hear the clamor of students in the common room. He knew he'd hear what she had to tell them later through the memories of his clone.

Meanwhile, he focused on Ebisu, who'd just arrived. "Black is here," Kakashi said shortly. "Find him."

Ebisu skidded to a halt, reversed, and took off again the way he'd come. "Don't overuse that eye Captain," he called back as he rounded a corner.

Kakashi stared after him. _My eye is useless against a phantom._

Kakashi kept searching the castle with his gift but in vain. McGonagall came out of Gryffindor tower and joined him. Together they waited for Dumbledore to arrive. They didn't have to wait long. Kurenai and the ancient wizard came hurrying down the hallway together. They both were fully dressed, Kurenai in her ruby dress with mail underneath and Dumbledore in dark purple robes with gold moons in different phases embroidered all over it, and looked like they'd been out for a stroll together before they decided to hurry over and have a chat with Kakashi.

"Kurenai informs me that there's been a disturbance that needs my immediate attention," Dumbledore said, probing.

"Sirius Black is in the castle," Kakashi said for what he felt like the thousandth time, "or at least he was ten minutes ago."

"Black had the passwords that a foolish student had written down and Sir Cadogan let him right into Gryffindor tower," Professor McGonagall said furiously. "I don't know what would have happened if Kakashi had not been there."

 _Looks like I'm going to be forgiven for the broken door,_ Kakashi thought. "But I didn't catch Black," Kakashi said aloud. "By the time I got into the hallway he was gone. My team is searching for him now but…" _if I can't see him with my Sharingan how are they supposed to find him?_

Dumbledore nodded almost as if he could read Kakashi's mind. Kakashi sighed, closing his left eye. McGonagall was struck once again by how young Kakashi was. She was no fool. She knew what life this youth had led, at least part of it. It was sometimes hard to remember that he was only fourteen. However, the way he was now, standing in the hallway in what she could only suppose were his sleeping clothes, tired, and frustrated at not capturing a killer of all things, she thought he just looked the tiniest bit small and alone. That was, until his team reappeared.

Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu teleported themselves in front of Kakashi. "Report," he said, eye open.

"No sign of him Kakashi," Guy said. Kurenai shook her head. Kakashi could tell by the way Ebisu avoided his eye that he hadn't found anything either.

Kakashi turned to Dumbledore, "is there anything else you would have us do tonight Headmaster?"

"It is unfortunate that Black was not caught but I am far from blaming you. You protected our students and that's the important thing," Dumbledore directed this at Kakashi but Kakashi just stared at him, his eye hard and emotionless. "No, nothing else tonight, thank you."

Kakashi nodded and turned to his teammates. "Guy, I believe you were on duty but it's past the time that my shift should have started. You three get some sleep." They reluctantly nodded and went their separate ways.


	10. Chapter 10: Give me a Break

**Chapter 10: Give me a Break**

After the initial shock of Sirius Black's visit to the castle had worn off, Fred and George took full advantage of Kakashi not having a door. They hid puking pasties all over his room because, as they explained to Lee Jordan, you can't vomit with a mask on. Unfortunately for them it was a waste of their product. Kakashi didn't like sweets that much, especially strangely colored sweets that he found on the floor, in desk drawers, and under his pillow.

They also tried stealing his extra masks so he didn't have replacements to wear when the one he was wearing eventually needed to be washed. Much to their surprise, not only could they not find his other masks, but any extra clothes whatsoever. This made them extremely suspicious that Kakashi only had one pair of clothes and slept in the nude while the house elves washed them at night. This theory spread like wildfire, especially among the witches. Ebisu thought about explaining to the twins how storage scrolls worked but their theories were much too entertaining to tamper with.

Before long another Hogsmeade visit came up. Guy and Kakashi decided to take this one. The Friday before, Kakashi gave Harry a pointed look and then walked into an abandoned classroom. Harry followed him obediently.

When Harry closed the door Kakashi said, "do you plan to go to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Harry nodded. "Okay then I will escort you. Guy will be around too but sometimes he lacks discretion."

"You don't have to worry about hiding me," Harry said. "I have an invisibility cloak."

Kakashi's visible eye widened a fraction but his voice was very even, "a what?"

"An invisibility cloak," Harry repeated. "The name kind of explains itself. I'll still use the secret tunnel though. You can meet me on the other end so you aren't seen at the exit."

"No," Kakashi said, "I'll go with you. I don't need a cloak to be invisible."

Saturday morning dawned bright and clear. After breakfast Harry and Kakashi walked to the third floor together. Harry began to pull out the Marauder's Map when Kakashi put a hand on his arm. "Put your cloak on, someone's coming." Harry shoved the map back into his pocket and pulled his cloak on. Kakashi had adopted an even lazier expression than usual. He leaned against the wall looking bored.

In a moment, Neville Longbottom came around the corner. The wizard was almost past him when he noticed Kakashi. He gave a small start and then laughed nervously. "H-h-hey Kakashi," Neville said.

Kakashi gave him an eye smile and said, "yo." Neville began to continue down the corridor when Snape came billowing around the other corner. If Neville seemed slightly nervous in the presence of the ninja, now he was terrified.

"Longbottom," Snape sneered. "What are you doing?"

Neville started to stutter something but Kakashi cut in, "we were just having a chat professor." He pushed himself off of the wall, uncrossing his arms as he did so. Snape suddenly noticed him with surprise.

"Kakashi," Snape spat. "Why would you bother talking to the likes of Longbottom?"

Kakashi didn't answer but instead said, "I don't know why _you'd_ bother talking to him if he should be beneath _my_ notice."

Snape scowled and marched off in a huff. Neville gave Kakashi a shy grin. "Why aren't you going to Hogsmeade Neville?" Kakashi asked after Snape had gone.

Neville's face fell. "I was the one that wrote down the passwords for the week. It's just Sir Cadogan kept changing them _every day_. I had trouble remembering them when they only changed monthly. I'm not even sure how Black could have gotten it at all. The last place I remember them being was on my nightstand." Neville sighed. Kakashi thought this was interesting and filed it away in his mind for later. "Anyway, what are you up to?"

"Oh I'm going to Hogsmeade with Guy. I just had to check out this corridor first. I'll catch up to him later."

"Oh," Neville's face fell. He didn't want to be stuck in the common room with the first and second years all day.

Kakashi thought and then had an idea. He made a clone and it hurried off to find Kurenai. "Hold on a second Neville," Kakashi said. Kakashi could feel the air move as Harry danced from one foot to another. He wanted to get down to Hogsmeade. Well, he'd just have to wait.

Kakashi blinked, receiving the information from his clone. _Perfect._ "Say Neville," Kakashi said. "You enjoy botany right?"

Neville visibly brightened and nodded. "Herbology is my best subject."

"Well Kurenai is a bit of a botanist herself," Kakashi continued. "And she happens to be in the greenhouses right now. You wouldn't want to join her would you? I'm sure she'd appreciate some explanations of the plants you wizards keep."

Neville's eyes shone. "That'd be great!" He took off, Kakashi forgotten, down the hallway, excited that one of the ninja was interested in plants.

"Can we go now?" Harry complained.

Kakashi scowled in the direction of Harry's voice but said nothing. He nodded.

Kakashi heard Harry mutter, "Dissendium" and the hump on the witch's back opened up. Harry pushed his bag down the shoot and then climbed in himself.

Kakashi followed him cautiously. _We're on the third floor of a castle. Why make a_ tunnel _that goes all the way up to the third floor?_

When Harry went through the trapdoor into Honeydukes's cellar, Kakashi followed stealthily as promised. Nobody saw either of them, cloak or no cloak. They met up with Ron who had been waiting for them outside of the shop.

"I'll keep an eye out at a distance from now on," Kakashi said. "It would look strange if I followed Ron around all day." With that, Kakashi walked away and joined Guy who had just appeared on their street.

"Well what do you want to do first?" Ron asked Harry. They saw the post office, Zonko's, and then headed to the Shrieking Shack. Ron was telling Harry about the shack's history when Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle came walking up the hill.

Malfoy grinned when he saw Ron alone. "What are you doing here Weasley? Thinking about moving out to get more space for yourself? I heard that your family all sleeps in the same room, is that true?"

Ron started towards Malfoy but Harry grabbed his robes. In an instant, Kakashi and Guy were behind the Slytherins. "My youthful charges!" Guy burst out. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle nearly jumped out of their skin. They whirled around to see Kakashi and Guy.

"Guy," Malfoy said slowly as if talking to an ape. "I told you not to do that anymore. You could give someone a heart attack." He had his hand on his chest and was breathing deeply.

Kakashi was puzzled that Malfoy wasn't being _as_ rude to Guy lately. He'd ask Guy about it later. For now he said, "how are you boys liking your day in Hogsmeade so far?"

"What do you care?" Malfoy said to Kakashi. "Come on Goyle, Crabbe, let's get back to the castle." The three Slytherins trooped away through the snow.

"Time's almost up Harry," Kakashi said. "Ready to head back?"

Harry nodded but then realized that no one could see him. "Yes."

When Harry, Kakashi, and Ron got back to the common room, Hermione was in tears. Hagrid had written that Buckbeak had been convicted and sentenced to execution.

Over Easter holiday most of the students were studying for their upcoming exams or catching up on homework. Ron wasn't doing either since he'd taken on the job of looking up things for Hagrid to use to defend Buckbeak at the appeal. Normally Hermione would have done it but she looked like she was about to unravel.

"You know Hermione," Kakashi said. "You might need to take a break." He eyed the pile of books and papers around her. Harry and Ron wanted to back him up but Hermione had gotten progressively scarier as the days had passed.

Hermione looked up at him. Her eyes had dark circles under them and her hair was more frizzy than normal. "What? Don't be ridiculous," she snapped. She looked around once more and muttered, "I must not have checked that one out." Standing up she said, "I'm going to the library."

"'kay," the boys chorused.

When Hermione had exited the portrait hole, Kakashi made a clone. The clone ran up the dormitory stairs and didn't come back. "What was that for Kakashi?" Harry asked, fascinated every time the ninja duplicated himself.

"Don't worry about it," he said shortly.

Meanwhile Kakashi's clone ran to the window in the boys' room, opened it, stepped out onto the castle wall, and shut the window behind him. He then went running, parallel to the ground, down the tower wall and to the library. Ebisu was reading about the history of charm invention in a back corner of the library. When Kakashi's clone appeared he got up.

"Ebisu, just a heads up, Hermione's heading to the library," the clone said.

Ebisu cocked an eyebrow at the duplicate. "That's a shock," Ebisu deadpanned.

"It might be a good opportunity for you two to take a break together, she looks like she needs it."

"You know," Ebisu said, "that's pretty rich coming from you."

"Hey, I'm just the clone messenger." Then Kakashi's clone went poof and he was gone. Way up in Gryffindor tower Kakashi frowned at Ebisu's comment as it came back to him.

Right at that moment, Hermione walked into the library. She made a beeline for the third shelf on the right and started reading spines. Ebisu approached. "Good afternoon Hermione," he said politely. Hermione looked up at him, gave him a weak smile and then went back to the shelf. "I was thinking about taking a walk by the lake, care to join me?"

Hermione stopped and looked up at him. "Oh I'm sorry Ebisu. I'd love to, really, but I have a lot of work to do."

She turned back to the shelf, slower this time. Ebisu said, "you could use a break. You can't work productively if you don't have proper rest."

Hermione laughed a little hysterically to herself. "It would be very nice but I haven't got the time."

"Ah," Ebisu said, it was the opening he'd been waiting for, "but I think you do."

Hermione's finger froze on the spine of a book. Her head whipped up to look at him.

"Walk with me?" Ebisu headed toward the exit, not waiting for an answer. Hermione followed him out of the library, down the stairs, and onto the grounds. Everyone was inside studying so they had the extensive lawns to themselves. Ebisu began a circuit around the lake. Hermione walked by his side.

"How long have you known?" Hermione asked.

"That you've been time traveling? Since I was watching Gryffindor tower for Kakashi. I saw you walk in the common area and go up to the dormitories. A few minutes later I saw you come in again with Harry and Ron. Your doubled up schedule made more sense after that." He paused. "Considering how many times the boys have noticed your schedule, you'd think they'd start to work out how you were managing it."

"Well," Hermione said, "I didn't expect Harry to know about time-turners. He was raised by muggles and doesn't read much outside of the required material. Ron though, he should have heard about them at some point."

"And what's a time-turner?"

"It's, oh here," Hermione pulled at the neck of her robes and produced a little hourglass on a fine gold chain. "It's this. You turn the hourglass and for each turn you go back an hour. I've been doing over certain hours of the day to do multiple classes. It didn't occur to me to use it for break periods. I have time to do extra homework now!"

"And, you know, actual rest."

"Yes," Hermione agreed but she barely heard him. "Ebisu you're a genius!" Before either of them knew what was happening, she'd embraced him tightly. "Oh, sorry," Hermione said immediately letting go. Hermione rung her hands.

Ebisu was trying to hide his red face without actually turning away from her.

"I'm sorry," she said again, "it's just so nice to be able to talk to someone else about this. I promised Professor McGonagall that I wouldn't tell anybody but since you already know…"

"Kakashi, Kurenai, and Guy know as well, if you ever need to talk to them about it," Ebisu said, finding his voice.

"You told all of them?" Hermione said. The happy glow she'd had before was significantly diminished.

"Yes, withholding important information from your team could put lives at risk." Ebisu immediately wished he'd thought of a more gentle way of saying it. He quickly added, "I have to tell Kakashi, since he's my Captain. As far as Kurenai and Guy, well, if they had seen you and then seen you again, they might have thought one of you was an imposter."

"Oh I see," Hermione said a little brighter.

They had made it half way around the lake before either of them spoke again.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Hermione said. "You should have heard it from me rather than finding out by accident."

"Either way, we found out so it won't be a security problem."

"That's not what I meant," Hermione said. "You told me about your eyes and I didn't take you into my confidence. Harry spent some time with Kakashi before term started and he says you're all very secretive."

Ebisu chuckled, "well, Kakashi is more secretive than most."

"Why?"

A long silence followed. The wind whistled in the grass and rippled the surface of the lake.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, "I shouldn't have asked."

"No it's okay. I'm just trying to think of a way to answer without breaking Kakashi's confidence." Ebisu looked out on the lake. "Let's just say that Kakashi has had a difficult life and leave it at that."

"That isn't much of an answer," Hermione said sadly.

"I'm sorry but unless Kakashi feels like telling you, it's the best one you're going to get," Ebisu stated frankly.

Hermione nodded and they walked on.

"Have you had a difficult life?" The witch broke the silence tentatively.

"Not as much as some. That's an important thing to remember in life. No matter how bad things get, it could always be worse, so we must be grateful for and happy about what we have."

"Ebisu?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for making me take a break."

Ebisu smiled, "it's my pleasure. Since we arrived here, I've had a lot of practice making stubborn people get some rest."

"I am not stubborn," Hermione said scandalized.

"You most certainly are," Ebisu said and Hermione looked like she was going to punch him. He continued, "but that can be a good thing. All the knowledge in the world is useless if you don't have the will to put it to work."

They walked for another hour either talking or in silence. Every once in awhile, Hermione would yawn and cover it with her hand. She wasn't bored but she was extremely tired and she didn't want the ninja to think she was uninterested in their conversation. Ebisu got another idea.

"Hermione, if you went up to your dormitory right now, you could turn back time a bit and get some sleep right?"

Hermione blinked at him. "Yes, I suppose. Even if someone came into the room I could have the curtains on my bed closed. But everyone will see me go through the common room."

"Not," Ebisu said, "if we go through the window."

There was a bit of a pause following this announcement. "Through the window?"

"Yes." Hermione was looking at him like he was crazy. "Oh yes, see watch." Ebisu took a couple of steps and then leapt into the lake, only he didn't sink into the water. When he straightened up he was standing on top of the water's surface, little rings of disturbance radiated out from where his feet made contact with the otherwise smooth water. "I can walk like this only we'll be walking up the side of the castle."

"How are you doing that?" Hermione asked eyes wide. She was looking sideways at his feet.

"It's the same way we do our techniques that you've seen or move very quickly. It's training and our own kind of magic." Ebisu walked to the water's edge and stepped onto land once more. "If I walk up the wall while carrying you, you can slip in the window."

"But I've been in the common room all day," she pointed out, "and I can't get back out the window without you. My friends saw me go to the library so they'll expect me to come back from there. I can hardly expect you to wait outside for three hours so you can pick me up after my nap and deposit me in the library."

Ebisu thought about this, then, "Kakashi's in the common room right?"

"Yes."

"Then we don't have a problem."

As Hermione and Ebisu approached the castle wall, Hermione began to get anxious. "You're sure this is safe?" Hermione asked, craning her neck back to see the top of the tower.

"If you don't trust me we can just go back and forget about it," Ebisu said.

"No…no…" Hermione said but she was still looking up the wall apprehensively.

Ebisu put his arm tentatively around her shoulders. Hermione started, pulling her eyes away from the tower to look at him, and then put her arms around his neck. He scooped the witch up in his arms and hopped onto the wall, running. Hermione instantly clung to his shoulders and buried her face in his neck. "You okay?" Ebisu asked even as he ran.

He felt rather than saw Hermione nod. As they ascended, Hermione's grip became less clingy and her head slowly moved away from his neck. Soon they were approaching the windows in the dormitory of Gryffindor tower and Hermione located the correct window. "It's so strange seeing the room from this angle," Hermione said as Ebisu knelt next to the makeshift entrance. Hermione pulled out her wand. " _Alohomora_ ," she said and the window popped open. Ebisu began to hand Hermione through the opening but she wouldn't let go.

"I won't let you fall," Ebisu said.

"I know," Hermione said. "I just wanted to thank you for everything."

Ebisu looked down and smiled. He handed Hermione through legs first. She transferred her grip from Ebisu's shoulders to the window sill and was safely inside. Ebisu flashed his chakra.

Kakashi, who was sitting in the common area, looked up suddenly and headed toward the staircase up to the girls' dormitory. "Um, Kakashi, you won't be able to go up there," Harry warned. As Kakashi put his foot on the first step, the stone stairs morphed from even steps to a steep and slippery chute. Not breaking stride Kakashi kept walking, using the chakra in his feet to ascend the slide. Ron and Harry stared at each other wide-eyed.

Kakashi counted the levels as he made his way up, _seventh year, sixth year, fifth year, fourth year... The room Hermione shares is the third door. Wait, the first years have to climb 7 levels just to go to bed? That's kind of harsh._ He stopped on Hermione's landing and opened the correct door. Seeing the witch standing in the room and Ebisu out the window didn't faze him. "Yes?"

"Kakashi," Ebisu said, "Hermione is going to need a distraction in about five minutes." Ebisu looked at Hermione and she nodded that that would be fine. She already had her time turner out.

"No problem," Kakashi said, his mask hiding the small smile that played on his mouth. He turned around and walked back out of the dorm and down the chute.

Hermione turned the hourglass three times and when she looked up, the sun was higher in the sky and Ebisu had disappeared from her window. She got into bed and pulled the curtains around her bed closed. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to sleep with her heart pounding the way it was.

Ebisu saw Hermione turn the hourglass. Then the witch disappeared and the curtains around her bed were suddenly closed, not open like they'd been a moment before. Ebisu climbed in the window and pulled back the curtain. There Hermione lay, fast asleep. Ebisu cleared his throat loudly and Hermione's eyes slid open. "Oh Ebisu," she said stretching. "Is it time already?"

The ninja nodded and stood back so she could stand. "Now don't go making this a habit," Ebisu warned. "The classes are bad enough. This isn't like when I make a clone. You're actually living those extra hours. By the end of the year, you'll probably have matured months more than everyone else your year."

"I know; I'll be careful." Hermione looked at him, almost as if she were trying to see the eyes behind the sunglasses.

Suddenly Ebisu was out the window and said, "I'd better go. Kakashi will be giving you a distraction any second now." With that he was gone.

Hermione stared after him. Then she closed her mouth and went to listen by the door. She heard a 'pop' from below and figured that was the signal. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she couldn't see a thing. The entire room was filled with blue smoke. The voices of several disgruntled Gryffindors reached her ears. She was just beginning to wonder how she was going to avoid tripping over someone when Kakashi was beside her and took her arm. "This way," he prompted politely and he steered her through the impenetrable smoke to the portrait hole. She climbed out and Kakashi moved to the center of the room.

A sixth year girl's voice rose above the rest, "when I get my hands on those Weasley twins…"

"Calm down," Kakashi said. "Nobody move." Several shuffling noises stopped. Kakashi weaved some signs for a wind style jutsu and blew the smoke up the common room chimney.

Suddenly the room was completely clear of smoke. A pair of first years who had been gripping each other for support sprang apart. A brown haired wizard who had tripped over a chair and landed in the occupant's lap was disentangling himself. Most of the Gryffindors hadn't moved however and were in the same positions. Harry and Ron were looking at Kakashi.

"Looks like it was just a prank," Kakashi said offhandedly and sat back down. The witch who'd spoken earlier made her way to the portrait hole, presumably to go Weasley hunting. She passed Hermione on her way out.

"Did something happen?" Hermione asked innocently looking around at the disheveled common room.

"Yeah," Ron said, "the whole bloody room just filled with smoke."

"Did you get your book?" Harry asked.

"My what?" Hermione said. Kakashi face-palmed in the corner. "Oh yes, um, no, I realized I don't need it." She hurried over to her mountain of paperwork and began to tackle it with new vigor.

"Well at least the walk did you some good," Harry said, observing her.

"The what?" Hermione squeaked.

Harry looked puzzled, "the walk, to the library. You look more relaxed now than you did when you left."

"Oh," Hermione said, relieved.

"You know," Ron said, "you can take a break every once in awhile Hermione. You might actually like it."

Hermione just smiled to herself and picked up her quill. She glanced at Kakashi who looked bored as ever, until he caught her look and eye-smiled at her.


	11. Chapter 11: The Final Countdown

**Chapter 11: The Final Countdown**

As the end of the year approached so did the Quidditch final: Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. For the four ninja, the scuffles that led up to the game seemed like the kind of juvenile pranks academy children played on each other. Examples of this included: attempted maiming, attempted hexing, tripping people, tripping people down stairs, etc.

However the closer the game got the more violent the attempts became. No Quidditch team member from either team was allowed anywhere alone. The group masses of Gryffindors and Slytherins that surged through the corridors between classes made Kurenai laugh. She did take her Quidditch practice guarding very seriously though and as the practices became more numerous, even though only two teams were practicing now, she asked Ebisu to help her by patrolling around the pitch. He intercepted spies and saboteurs alike from both houses.

At one point a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year pulled their wands on each other right in the middle of a corridor. Guy was in between them, having snatched both of their wands, before either of them could blink. "I know how you feel," Guy said, "you have a burning desire to prove your worth. You both are desperate for your house to come out on top. But the competition has yet to begin and it is beneath you to try to settle the score in this way. Go, encourage your teams in this worthy contest and if your house fails, then you'll just have to promise yourselves to do better next time." He gave them a thumbs-up and handed their wands back to them.

Most of the students seemed confused by this speech but some of the Slytherins had learned to speak 'Guy' by now and nodded. A seventh year Slytherin called out, "Slytherin for the cup!" The Slytherins in the corridor cheered and dispersed.

Kakashi had just arrived and heard a passing Hufflepuff girl say, "what was that about?"

Kakashi approached Guy and said, "you've had a positive influence on them."

Guy nodded smiling but his face became serious. He turned to Kakashi and said, "it confuses me. Why do the other students hate the Slytherins? Blind ambition can be dangerous, it's true, but reckless bravery is equally dangerous. Yet they love Gryffindor and detest Slytherin. Each house has roughly two hundred students. Do the others assume that all two hundred Slytherins are evil? How many Slytherins to they actually interact with to make that judgment?"

"It's just old grudges I guess," Kakashi said, "like the Stone and the Leaf."

Guy 'hmed' at this as they watched the last of the students disperse, rushing to class.

The Quidditch Final itself was even more brutal than the violence that preceded it. There were penalties here, there, and everywhere. Kakashi and Kurenai stopped to chat as they passed each other on their stand patrol.

Kurenai said, "we're supposed to protect the students but who's going to save them from each other?" As she said this a beater bat went flying into Marcus Flint's head. His face whipped forward and bashed into his broomstick. Blood began to stream out of his nose.

Kakashi nodded at his teammate's statement as they watched the Slytherin Captain descend to get some spell-work done on his nose. The bleeding stopped, he returned to the fray.

A few minutes later Kurenai and Ebisu watched as Harry shot straight up and the two Slytherin beaters that had intended to crush him collided beneath him. "And they say our society is violent," Ebisu said pushing his glasses up on his nose.

In a few minutes it was all over. After a close race to the snitch between Harry and Draco, Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup. Everyone in the stands was cheering except for the Slytherins who looked quite dejected. Guy could be seen patting backs and smiling. "The team will just have to work twice as hard and try again next year," he said cheerfully. "Gryffindor was the better team today. But we will use this disappointment to fire our hearts when we think we're too weary to keep training! Meanwhile, we must give the team our support for they feel the defeat even more acutely than ourselves." None of the Slytherins looked like cheering but they did nod in agreement. They began leaving in twos and threes to find their sorrowful team.

Meanwhile the Gryffindors were in hysterics, screaming their lungs out as Dumbledore handed Wood the Quidditch Cup. Kakashi stepped away for awhile to give his ears a break. Guy joined him, "congratulations my rival, you win this round."

"You don't have to count this one Guy. You and I had nothing to do with the competition."

"No no, I know when my house has been beaten but don't think that this will keep us down for long!"

Kakashi smiled, "I have no doubt in your rallying abilities."

With the conclusion of the Quidditch Final the dreaded end of year exams arrived. The castle became extremely quiet, for Hogwarts, since everyone now had the same aim that Hermione had all year. With the exams also came Buckbeak's appeal and execution, apparently.

"You mean they are sending the executioner along with the Ministry official?" Kakashi asked slightly confused.

Harry nodded sadly.

 _Some appeal,_ Kakashi thought. Any misgivings he had about Kurenai's plan went out the window. "I wouldn't worry about it." Ron, Hermione, and Harry looked at him like he'd grown another head. They were alone in the common room but Kakashi still whispered, "just leave it to Kurenai."

"What?" Ron said. "What's she going to do about it?"

"I told you not to worry about it," Kakashi said and wouldn't say any more about it.

Kakashi wondered if they were going to go the entire year without Black being caught by the dementors or anyone else. If he still wasn't caught by the end of next summer, would they be reassigned here for another year? Would Dumbledore be able to afford it? He knew an entire squad for a year had to be costing an immense amount of money. Maybe they'd take their chances without the ninja or hire some other form of protection? These were Kakashi's thoughts as he walked amongst the exam-sick students in the corridors.

Professor Lupin had asked that one of Kakashi's team monitor his exam in particular since it was going to be an obstacle course with various dangerous creatures.

"Nothing should happen that I can't handle myself," Lupin said, "but the extra precaution couldn't hurt."

"No problem," Kakashi said. "I'll send Ebisu."

Thursday morning Ebisu joined the Gryffindor third years for their exam. He'd already seen the exam taken by some of the other third years, Slytherin and Hufflepuff, so he knew what to expect. It was an obstacle course involving most of the creatures they'd studied that year. What he wasn't expecting was Hermione's reaction to the boggart.

Only moments after Hermione entered, blood curdling screams issued from the large trunk that contained the boggart. Ebisu had the trunk open and Hermione pulled out before Professor Lupin knew what was happening.

"Hermione," Professor Lupin exclaimed, "what happened?!" He hurried over to his student.

Harry and Ron had come running over as well. They had already finished their exam. Hermione was facing Ebisu and he had an arm around her shaking shoulders. She took a couple of deep breaths and turned her tear-stained face to Lupin. "Professor McGonagall, said I failed everything."

Ebisu smiled and shook his head in amazement. "The way you screamed I thought you were being murdered," Ebisu said. He seemed to suddenly realize how close he was to her and stepped away hurriedly. "Are you alright?" He asked trying to sound more official.

Hermione wiped her eyes and nodded, smiling. "I guess I still need a partner to deal with a boggart Professor."

"There's no shame in that Hermione," Professor Lupin said, noting something on his parchment. Ebisu had no doubt that she'd gotten at least a little credit for remembering that piece of information.

By the time Hermione had calmed down everyone else in the class had finished taking the exam. Ebisu had waited for the three Gryffindors and they all went up to the castle together. On the castle steps they met Cornelius Fudge.

"Nearly finished with your exams Harry?" the Minister of Magic asked. He looked curiously at the unfamiliar garb of Ebisu for a bit before shaking his head and looking back at Harry.

Harry replied in the affirmative.

"It's a beautiful day," Fudge continued. "It's a pity I'm here under such unfortunate circumstances. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness for the execution of a mad hippogriff. I needed to be here anyway to check in on the Black situation so I was asked to step in."

"Is the appeal already over?" Ron asked.

"No…" Fudge said slowly.

"Then the hippogriff still might get off," Harry said hopefully.

Fudge looked between the two wizards but didn't have a chance to say anything. Just then a withered old wizard and a tall man with a black mustache walked out of the castle. The man with the mustache had an ax in his belt. Ebisu stiffened slightly at the sight of the weapon but made no move. He followed the students in to lunch, senses on alert.

When Ebisu didn't see Kurenai in the Great Hall he walked over to Kakashi. "Is Kurenai in place? Because they're here."

Kakashi nodded minutely, scanning the hall as if he hadn't heard. His lips hardly seemed to move underneath his black mask, "the appeal doesn't start until two and I'm sure they'll delay the actual execution a couple of hours."

"What? Why?"

Kakashi turned and looked at him, "they're wizards _and_ politicians. What makes you think they're in a hurry?"

They were interrupted by the approach of a certain troublesome duo. "Kakashi," Fred said.

"We'd like to thank you for watching out for our house this year," they said together.

"And the school in general," George added.

"So we made you this cupcake," they said together. Fred held out a vanilla cupcake with confetti icing.

Kakashi took the cupcake and eye-smiled at them. "Why thank you," he said.

"We're sorry Ebisu," George said looking at him, "we didn't make anything for you."

"That's alright. As the Ravenclaws say, 'knowledge is the greatest gift' and I gained plenty of that this year," Ebisu said smiling. He felt Kakashi cast his genjutsu.

Kakashi pulled the cupcake apart and removed the puking pastille inside. He threw the sweet towards where Fred and George had been eating their lunch. It landed in one of their soup bowls with a splash. He then released the genjutsu in which Fred and George had been watching Kakashi slowly reach up to remove his mask and then stop, and said "do you boys need something else?"

"We just want to watch you enjoy it," Fred said sweetly.

Kakashi cast the usual genjutsu around his face, one that Ebisu was used to by now, and ate the disarmed cupcake. It appeared to everyone that the cupcake just disappeared into Kakashi's masked face. Kakashi chewed thoughtfully, observing Fred and George's expectant faces.

He swallowed, his face impassive, and said, "that was delightful, thank you."

The twins stood there for a moment, staring at Kakashi. At this point they were wondering if the strange guard could eat their sweets without having a reaction at all. Disappointed and muttering to each other, they went back to their lunch. Two minutes later, Fred was retching all over the table. Some girls screamed and their neighbors retreated. George was siphoning away the sick by the time McGonagall came over.

"I'm fine Professor," Fred said, his eyes on Kakashi.

Kakashi had his back turned as if he were talking to Ebisu. Ebisu, however, was openly gawking at the mayhem.

"Won't this little challenge between you and them make Guy kind of jealous?" Ebisu said.

Kakashi turned back to look at the twins who were both looking at him now. "No, the challenge is too one-sided to make Guy interested."

"And if they beat you?" Ebisu asked.

" _If_ they succeed," Kakashi said, "then they deserve to get what they're after."


	12. Chapter 12: On the Grounds, On the Run

**Chapter 12: On the Grounds, On the Run**

After lunch the Gryffindor trio had one last exam so Kakashi didn't hear anything else about Buckbeak until after that.

"Buckbeak's going to be executed," Hermione told a dazed Harry as he came back from his Divination exam. She held out Hagrid's note to him and he read it.

"We have to go see him," Harry said.

"It's at sunset though Harry," Ron said. "We won't be allowed."

"We can wear the cloak," Harry countered.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Not really concerned for your own safety are you? Or the safety of others?" Kakashi cast his eye on Ron and Hermione.

"We can't just let him sit down there alone waiting," Harry said. "Come with us if you're so worried."

"I will not and you shouldn't be going down there either."

"How can you say that?" Hermione said. She looked stricken with dried tears on her cheeks.

"Are you three always this stubborn?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes," they said together.

 _Oh, okay then._

Kakashi knew the common room and dormitories were empty so he said, "you don't need to comfort Hagrid because Buckbeak is not going to die tonight."

"How?" Ron said. "What are you going to do about it? They've got a witness and he happens to be the Minister of Magic. If anyone tries to rescue Buckbeak then Hagrid will get in even more trouble."

"Kurenai will take care of it. The witness, the executioner, anyone who witnesses the event will believe they've seen an execution but Buckbeak will be very much alive. This is her specialty, leave it to her."

"But the witness is the Minister of Magic!" Ron protested.

"We've dealt with politicians before," silver-haired youth said thinking of their own skittish Feudal Lord.

"I still say we should be there for Hagrid. Even if Kurenai reassures him he's still going to be really worried," Hermione protested.

Kakashi sighed, "fine, if you must go then I'll have to go with you."

"The cloak barely covers the three of us as it is," Ron whined.

"He won't need the cloak," Harry said meeting Kakashi's eye.

After dinner, Kakashi and the three Gryffindors didn't head up to the common room like everyone else. The four of them snuck into an empty chamber off of the entrance hall. Harry checked the marauders map and once Kakashi confirmed that nobody was in the corridor the students donned the cloak and set out. Kakashi followed as if he were going to patrol the grounds.

Kakashi knocked on Hagrid's door. The half-giant answered, confused that Kakashi was there. Kakashi stepped aside for no reason Hagrid could see as he spoke, "some friends of yours insisted that they see you." Kakashi entered and shut the door behind him. Harry pulled the invisibility cloak off of the three of them.

"You shouldn't have come," Hagrid said, "especially you Harry."

"That's why we've got Kakashi with us," Harry said nodding at the ninja who was lounging against a wall.

"He didn't tell you?" Hagrid asked. "Kurenai's fixed it. She's going to rescue Buckbeak. She said something about confusing the officials."

The three students turned to look at Kakashi. He looked like he'd fallen asleep. This late in the year, they knew better.

"I'm a little nervous," Hagrid confessed. "I've never had to act a part like this before and in front of the Minister of Magic too."

"Just pretend Buckbeak really is going to die," Hermione suggested.

Hagrid had begun to prepare tea for them all and his hands shook a bit. "I don't know if I can do it. What if they figure it out and kill Beaky anyway? Then I'll be in trouble besides." Just then the milk jug slipped out of Hagrid's hand. They didn't even see Kakashi leave the wall before he had caught the jug in one hand and handed it back to Hagrid. Hagrid seemed a little dazed.

Just then a rat with patchy fur came scurrying out of Hagrid's cupboard towards Ron's feet. "Scabbers?" Ron cried in shock. "I don't believe this. Where did you come from? How did you get here?" Ron picked up his rat and examined him carefully, not believing his eyes.

"I don't mean to break up the reunion," Kakashi said tensely. He looked at Scabbers with narrowed eyes, a problem tugging at his brain, "but the officials are on their way here."

"You three get going. I'll be alright," Hagrid said, his face paling. "I wouldn't want you to get into trouble."

Ron shoved Scabbers in his pocket as the wizards and witch pulled the cloak over themselves. "Now Hagrid," Kakashi said. "Kurenai is at the edge of the wood. Just leave everything to her and remember what she told you."

Hagrid nodded at Kakashi, eyes wide.

The three slipped out the back door. Kakashi teleported to the woods and Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried across the grass. "Everything okay here?" Kakashi asked Kurenai. He bowed to Buckbeak who was tied to a tree.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Kurenai said. "I figured it was best to remove Buckbeak as soon as possible and have a replacement there before they even arrived."

"Won't that drain your chakra more?" Kakashi asked.

"It will," Kurenai said, her brow set stubbornly, "but I could use the practice."

"Stay here and finish no matter what," Kakashi said. His body had tensed up.

"What's wrong?" Kurenai said, scanning the grounds but seeing nothing out of place.

"I don't know, I just have a bad feeling," Kakashi said. "Be careful." Kakashi lifted his headband and opened his left eye. He then took off at a sprint toward the students.

Kakashi heard, "ow, he bit me," in the distance and then saw a pair of yellow eyes. Suddenly he could see Ron, with both eyes, sprinting toward a tree. _What are they doing?!_ Soon he saw Harry and Hermione as well. They were running after Ron. Kakashi sped up. The students were heading straight for the Whomping Willow. Fortunately Kakashi soon saw Ron stop and drop to his knees. Harry and Hermione skidded to a halt next to him. Unfortunately they were within range of the Whomping Willow. Kakashi saw it start to rotate its long slender branches and wished that Guy hadn't been exercising it every day.

As Kakashi got closer he could see that Ron was trying to put Scabbers, he assumed, back in his pocket. Crookshanks was also there jumping on Ron and then Kakashi saw it, a large black dog was bounding toward the trio. Kakashi pushed more chakra into his feet.

In his mind he sorted through the dangerous creatures Ebisu had mentioned living in the forest. His mind grasped at straws. He would have remembered anything wolf or dog related since they were a specialty of his. Whatever it was it didn't seem like it was looking for a belly rub. Kakashi suddenly realized he wasn't going to make it in time. The mutt jumped and its front paws landed on Harry's chest, knocking his wand out of his hand. Then Kakashi was there and with a kick he sent the dog flying away from Harry. Harry was not its goal however. The black dog ran up to Ron, latched onto his leg, and began dragging him closer to the tree toward the secret passage. Kakashi threw a kunai and it grazed one black ear. The dog whined and dropped Ron's leg. The jonin felt a twinge of remorse in his chest.

There was no time for feelings however as Kakashi heard Harry cry out in pain and fall to his knees. Hermione followed suit. Kakashi's head whipped from one of them to another in confusion and then he sensed something hurtling toward him. Quick as a flash Kakashi reached up and snatched the tip of a branch just before it hit his face. He grasped it and savagely pulled. He felt the thin branch break off of the tree and threw it aside.

" _Lumos_."

"Chidori," Kakashi swept the lightning style in front of him, destroying the mass of whip-like leaves heading towards his face.

"Kakashi!" Ron's piercing scream rang through the air. The dog had grasped his leg in its jaws once more and was dragging Ron down into the tunnel.

Kakashi sprinted and then dodged as a thicker branch swept low to reach him. Another large branch followed. Kakashi leapt up, put his hand on the branch, and vaulted over it. Just when Kakashi thought he had a clear path to the base of the tree Crookshanks appeared and sank his teeth into the ninja's leg. Kakashi reached down to pry the cat free but Crookshanks had already jumped clear. Then Kakashi was flying, the right side of his chest was on fire.

He landed a dozen paces away from the tree. The silver-haired ninja blurrily opened his eyes. He could see Harry and Hermione in the dimming twilight cowering just out of the willow's reach. Then they all heard a sharp crack. Ron's foot, the last part of him that they could see, disappeared down the hole. Kakashi got to his hands and knees, fell, and shook his head. He reached around and loosened the straps on his armor a bit. The chest and back pieces of his armor had been pinched together on one side and made it hard for him to breathe. He tried getting up again and began running toward Harry and Hermione.

"We have to go for help," Hermione was saying, tears running down her face.

"We don't have time," Harry argued but he was also unable to approach the tree.

Kakashi was about to tell them to go get help while he went after Ron when Crookshanks weaved forward through the whipping branches and pressed a knot on the side of the tree. The branches of the willow instantly froze in place. This didn't change Kakashi's opinion of the situation.

"Harry, Hermione, you two should-"

"Ron!" Harry shouted and took off toward the tunnel. Hermione was right behind him.

Kakashi looked after them for half a second. He looked at Crookshanks and Crookshanks looked back. _Okay…_

Crookshanks disappeared into the tunnel with Kakashi close on his tail. Kakashi caught up with the Gryffindors quickly. "Where does this tunnel go?" Hermione asked.

"To the Shrieking Shack," Kakashi answered. They were all almost bent double but running just the same. _Something's wrong here. The cat wants me to follow but not hurt the dog. We thought the rat was dead but it was alive and on the school grounds the whole time. What is going on?_

At last they reached the end of the tunnel, it ended in a twist. Kakashi stepped in front of them holding his hand out in the interdimensional signal of 'stay behind me'. Kakashi jumped up through the hole they were in onto the main floor of the Shrieking Shack. He landed in a crouch with a kunai out. The room was full of broken furniture and the wallpaper was peeling. Above him Kakashi heard a floorboard creak. He began to silently ascend the staircase to the second floor. Annoyed at being left behind when his best friend was in danger, Harry pulled himself up and out of the hole. He then turned and gave Hermione a hand up.

When they began to climb the staircase Kakashi was beside them once more. "I don't know what we're going to find up there. But you two need to stay behind me. The dog could be rabid, Ron could be…" he trailed off. "Just stay behind me."

Harry and Hermione nodded. Following the trail of disturbed dust that the dog dragging Ron had left behind, they crept up the stairs and into the room with the ajar door. Ron was laid out on a four poster bed looking pale. His leg was bent at an odd angle and his eyes got huge upon seeing Harry and Hermione. "Harry it's a trap," Ron said through clenched teeth. "He's not a dog."

Hermione and Harry ran to Ron but Kakashi scanned the room. What he saw was a man that looked more like a corpse than a living being. His skin was waxy and pale, his hair long and matted, and his clothes faded and dirty. Worst of all he was holding Ron's wand.

Kakashi put himself between the students and the convict. Black inhaled, Kakashi assumed, to cast a spell. _Too slow._ Kakashi pulled out a kunai and threw it at Black's sleeve, pinning that piece of his robe to the wall behind him. When Black's hand flew back from the impact on his sleeve he dropped Ron's wand. Another kunai followed up the first and embedded itself into the center of Black's hand, fastening the limb to the wall. The wizard cried out in pain and reached up with his other hand to free it. Kakashi was in front of him almost instantly with a third kunai at his throat. "Don't," Kakashi warned.

Harry and Hermione turned around and noticed Black for the first time.

"Sirius Black I presume," Kakashi said. "I believe I know some people who are looking for you."

"Not now," Black muttered, "not when I'm so close."

"Don't even think about it. You're not going to lay a finger on Harry," Kakashi snarled.

Black looked genuinely confused, "Harry? Why would I…?" He was interrupted by Crookshanks biting into Kakashi's leg again. Kakashi dislodged the feline with a jerk of the appendage.

Black tried to use that moment to get Kakashi off balance but Kakashi brought his leg back up, quicker than thought, and kicked Black's kneecap. The man cried out again and sank to the floor, his hand still pinned to the wall above him.

The cat struck out again, this time attacking the hand that held a kunai to Black's throat. Kakashi withdrew his hand, what he was looking at gave him pause. Black was slumped against the wall, chest heaving, blood trickling down the arm that was still pinned above his head. What made Kakashi stare though, was Crookshanks, who had sat himself on top of Black's chest. The cat gazed at the ninja defiantly, pleadingly.

Black looked down at the feline. "Get off," he said.

The cat sank its claws into Black's robes in answer. He was looking at Kakashi again.

 _What am I missing?_ Kakashi thought. Just then footsteps could be heard downstairs.

Hermione practically shrieked, "help. It's Sirius Black. Quick!"

The footsteps came closer and Professor Lupin stepped into the room. He took in the scene. "There will be no need for that Kakashi."

Kakashi did not lower his kunai. His eyes narrowed in suspicion at the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher.

Lupin turned to Black, "where is he Sirius?"

"Wait, what?" Harry exclaimed, anger rising.

"Harry," Lupin said quickly turning to him, "you told me during patronus practice that you saw Peter Pettigrew on the Marauder's Map?"

Harry didn't answer right away he was so taken aback by the change of topic. Kakashi, wheels in his head already turning said, "answer the question Harry."

Harry looked at Kakashi and then back at Lupin. "Yeah, that's what it said, but Pettigrew's dead so the map must be wrong."

"The map is never wrong," Lupin responded. "Peter Pettigrew is alive. He's Ron's rat, isn't he Sirius?"

Sirius nodded.

"You're both mental," Ron exclaimed. "You're trying to tell us that my rat is a dead hero?"

"He is thought to be dead but he's no hero," Sirius snarled, pulling Kakashi's kunai out of his hand and dropping it.

"You betrayed my parents and killed Peter Pettigrew because he confronted you," Harry yelled. "How dare you slander his name?"

"If we want to start talking about slander," Lupin began but Hermione cut him off.

"We trusted you," she said to Lupin. "I didn't tell anyone you were a werewolf because I was afraid you'd be fired and you've been helping Black this whole time."

"He's a werewolf?!" Ron and Harry said together.

"Enough," Kakashi said, the coldness in his voice frosting the air. "Yes he's a werewolf but that's not important right now." The room went silent. He pointed at Lupin and Black with the kunai still in his hand, "explain."

"There's nothing to explain!" Harry yelled. "He killed my parents by betraying them to Voldemort!" He pointed at Black accusingly.

Black opened his mouth but Kakashi silenced it with a glare. "Harry," Kakashi said, "think. Aren't there a few things that haven't been adding up in this whole situation?"

Harry thought about the dog walking with Crookshanks across the grounds, about Crookshanks attacking Scabbers every chance he got, about Black attacking Ron's bed with a knife and not his own, about Scabbers's blood being all over Ron's sheets but then the rat turning up unharmed, if a bit thinner, at Hagrid's hut, about a dozen other things that had happened that year that didn't make sense. Harry's head cooled a few degrees.

"Ron," Lupin said, "could I see your rat please?"

"What are you going to do to him?" Ron asked, paler than ever.

"Give him the rat Ron," there was iron in Kakashi's voice. He'd had about enough of this nonsense.

Ron pulled a shivering Scabbers out of his pocket and placed him in Lupin's outstretched hand.

"Thank you," Lupin said. "If he's really a rat this won't hurt him at all."

A flash of blue-white light erupted out of Lupin's wand. Scabbers floated in the air for a moment, and then he began to grow. His head enlarged, arms and legs shot out, and in a moment there was a man standing where Scabbers had been. He was a very short, mousy looking man, with a pointed nose and beady eyes.

"Well hello Peter," Lupin said in a syrupy sweet voice.

"Stun him," Kakashi ordered.

"What?" Sirius snarled through yellow teeth.

Kakashi turned to him, "as I understand it, Peter here has just returned from the dead and is a key piece of evidence in proving your innocence; if innocent you turn out to be. You two still need to explain yourselves. Meanwhile, we wouldn't want him to run off now would we?" Kakashi turned to Lupin, "Stun. Him. I'm told you have a spell for that."

Lupin met Kakashi's eyes and then turned to Peter, who looked like he was trying to shrink away into nothing. "Stupefy." Peter Pettigrew slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Now," Kakashi said, crossing his arms. "Explain."

What followed was a story Kakashi thought was just crazy enough to be true. Lupin explained how he was a werewolf and his closest friends had become animagi or, wizards who could transform themselves into an animal at will.

Sirius explained how Peter Pettigrew had framed him for the murder of all those muggles and made him out to be a supporter of Voldemort who had betrayed his closest friends, Lily and James Potter. Sirius had been the Potter's Secret Keeper and thus, kept them hidden from Voldemort. Sirius, however, had thought that Pettigrew would be a less obvious choice for the job and convinced James to change the Secret Keeper to Pettigrew. Pettigrew betrayed them to Voldemort but when the Dark Lord met his downfall Peter went into hiding as a rat. He set himself up with a wizarding family, the Weasley's, so as to hear if his master ever came to power once more.

After the explanation took place, extra questions were asked and answered to everyone's satisfaction. Ron said, "I can't believe I let Scabbers sleep in my bed."

Harry and Hermione grimaced sympathetically.

"So now we can kill him?" Sirius asked Lupin.

"No," Harry said. Sirius looked at him in surprise. "My Dad wouldn't want you to become a murderer. And it's like Kakashi said," Harry turned and looked at him, "you'll need Pettigrew to clear your name."

"I've been meaning to ask," Sirius said turning to Lupin. "Who is he?" He pointed at Kakashi with his good hand.

"No one of consequence," Kakashi said. He then put his hands together and made four shadow clones. They took off immediately. Sirius's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Sorry about your hand," Kakashi paused, "and your knee and your ear."

"Dumbledore hired some guards this year on account of you coming after Harry." Lupin wanted to laugh, thinking about how absurd that sounded now. "He's been pretty tight-lipped about where they come from."

Kakashi eye-smiled and then looked at Lupin. He'd been listening to the questions and explanations and hadn't said a word, now he had a question for the professor. "How did you even know we were here?"

"Oh, well I figured Harry and his friends would go down to see Hagrid before Buckbeak's execution so I was keeping an eye out for odd things happening on the grounds. The sort of things that tend to happen when there's an invisibility cloak in play at Hogwarts."

"Harry has James's cloak?" Sirius asked. At Lupin's nod he laughed and got a faraway look in his eye. He seemed to be remembering better times.

"Anyway, when I saw the Whomping Willow frozen I knew something had to be wrong."

Kakashi nodded and then surveyed the group. Harry and Hermione had various cuts courtesy of the Whomping Willow. Lupin was unharmed and splinting Ron's leg. Sirius was watching Lupin work on Ron with an anxious look on his face. He was absentmindedly cradling his hand with his other arm.

"Let me see your hand Sirius," Kakashi said walking forward and reaching to pull out a very familiar medical kit.

Sirius turned at the sound of his name and then jumped as he saw Kakashi putting his hand into the pouch on his belt. Kakashi froze and held up his hand. "Just grabbing my kit, calm down." He reached into the pouch once more, pulled it out, and held it up innocently. He expertly dressed Sirius's hand; kunai wounds were nothing new to him.

While Kakashi worked, Sirius examined his face. "How old are you?" Kakashi heard Harry face palm somewhere behind him.

Kakashi didn't look away from the hand he was working on, "not as old as you wizards would like me to be."

"What happened to your eye?" Kakashi had closed his Sharingan eye awhile ago but had not covered it.

"Sirius, uh," Harry realized just how weird it was to be addressing this man civilly. This man who, a few hours ago, Harry'd thought wanted to kill him. "He doesn't like questions," Harry finished lamely.

Sirius opened his mouth to say something else when a shout of, "Kakashi," issuing from below interrupted him.

"We're all up here Guy," Kakashi called back. Instantly three more ninja teleported into the room. Sirius's eyes, if possible, reached new stages of wideness. He took in Kurenai, red eyes and matching dress, kunai in hand, expression serious. Then he saw Ebisu, dressed all in blue and wearing sunglasses, of all things, in an unlit house at night. Last of all his eyes fell on Guy, his shiny bowl haircut and green spandex leaving an interesting first impression. "Everything go according to plan Kurenai?" Kakashi asked.

She nodded, "Buckbeak is safe. I just finished when I heard from you." She sounded a little tired but alert. "What have you been up to?"

Kakashi quickly explained the situation. Ebisu's eyes widened behind his shades. Guy said, "what a most unyouthful trick." He glared at the still form of Pettigrew in disgust.

"I've sent word ahead. Dumbledore is hopefully keeping the Minister in the castle until we arrive. This can hopefully all be sorted out by tonight."

Sirius perked up and stood. "You mean," his voice scratched even more with emotion.

Kakashi nodded. "If everything goes according to plan, you'll be a free man by morning."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Harry said. "Let's get back to the castle!"

The procession was awkward at best. Kurenai and Crookshanks led the way, followed closely by Hermione who held her lit wand as high as she could in the cramped tunnel. Behind them came Guy who was supporting Ron awkwardly since they were both hunched over. Then came Ebisu and Lupin with the unconscious Peter Pettigrew floating between them. Harry and Sirius were behind them with Kakashi bringing up the rear.

As they walked along Kakashi overheard a conversation taking place between Harry and Sirius. Apparently Sirius was Harry's guardian and Harry now had the option to remain with his aunt and uncle or move in with Sirius. Harry didn't mention his aunt and uncle often but from what Kakashi had heard of them, he knew what Harry's choice would be.

At last they had made it to the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks pressed the knot and Kurenai leapt clear of the hole. She then turned around and gave Hermione a hand up. Kurenai then helped Guy with Ron. Lupin maneuvered the floating Peter up and out and then climbed out himself.

"I believe this is yours," Kurenai said, handing Harry his invisibility cloak that was sitting at the base of the tree.

Once they were all out of the tunnel they began trooping towards the lights of the castle. The grounds were cloaked in darkness but Hermione's and then Harry's wand lit the immediate area around then. Then the clouds shifted above them and the entire grounds were lit by the glow of the full moon. Sirius froze as did the ninja. Ron was momentarily glad for the extra light until he spied Kurenai's tense face. The unconscious Peter stopped moving forward, floated in place for a moment, and then fell to the ground.

"What?" the lame wizard said.

"He didn't get his potion," Hermione cried, "he isn't safe."

"Run," Sirius said. "Run now."

There was a horrible snarling noise. Lupin's head and face elongated. His back stretched out under his robes and his arms and legs lengthened, ending it sharp claws. Kurenai grabbed Hermione and pushed her behind her, toward the castle. Ron, in his fear, forgot about his injury and put his full weight on his broken leg as he tried to back away from Lupin. He cried out in pain and fell to the grass clutching his leg. Ebisu ducked under Lupin's flailing arms, grasped Ron, and threw him out of the way. An unavoidable backhand from Lupin's full werewolf form spun Ebisu in mid-air. He landed a few paces away, face-down in the grass.

By now Guy had withdrawn a long chain from a scroll and whipped it around the werewolf. Harry noticed that Sirius was no longer standing beside him, at least not as a human. The large black dog bounded forward and clamped his jaws on the werewolf's neck. The werewolf broke through Guy's chain and began clawing at the dog's back. Fierce growls filled the air.

Kurenai, who was concentrating behind Kakashi suddenly warned, "werewolves are unaffected by genjutsu." Upon hearing this, Guy leapt forward in a whirl, kicking the black dog and werewolf apart. Working together, Guy and Sirius began herding the werewolf away from the castle and the main group.

Kakashi had figured genjutsu wouldn't work but it didn't hurt to try. "Kurenai," Kakashi said, "get Ebisu and the others away from here."

"I'm fine," Ebisu ground out, pushing himself to his feet. The entire left side of his shirt was slashed open revealing the mail underneath.

"Great, help Kurenai get Pettigrew and the students out of here," Kakashi said.

Kakashi heard a whimper behind him. "Sirius!" Harry cried and began running toward the fight. Kakashi grabbed him and threw him back.

The jonin captain straightened his headband and turned to Kurenai and Ebisu. "Keep them back." Without looking back, he ran toward Guy, Sirius, and the werewolf.


	13. Chapter 13: And Back Again

**Chapter 13: And Back Again**

The werewolf went to take a swipe at Sirius when Kakashi came flying in. He kicked the werewolf's paw away from the black dog and followed it up with a punch to the muzzle. The werewolf's other paw swiped Kakashi aside, staining its claws with his blood. While Kakashi recovered, Guy kept up the pressure. He shot fireballs at the wolf, blinding and disorienting it.

Kakashi pulled a scroll out of his pouch, weaved some hand signs around it, and slammed it into the ground. _Summoning: Earth Style: Fanged Pursuit._ There was a rumble beneath their feet and then the earth exploded. No less than eight dogs of all shapes and sizes, but wearing familiar headbands, burst out of the ground around the werewolf. They latched onto the wolf with their own sharp teeth. The werewolf snarled in rage, completely immobile. Then Kakashi disappeared. The black dog looked around for him, startled. _Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu._ In the blink of an eye the ninja hounds vanished and the werewolf was pulled into the ground. The beast was now up to its muzzle in solid dirt and couldn't move a muscle. Kakashi popped out of the ground a few paces away.

"Nice work my rival," Guy gave Kakashi a 'thumbs up'.

The black dog gawked at the werewolf's exposed head. He looked at Kakashi, then back to the werewolf, then he began to bark. He cut himself off, shook his head, and morphed back into his human form. Sirius gestured at his transformed friend's head, "what did you do?"

Kakashi shrugged, "I immobilized him."

"But you didn't conceal him from prying eyes," another voice cut in. It was Ebisu. He formed some hand signs, crouched, and slammed the palms of his hands into the ground. " _Earthstyle: Mud Wall._ " Four earthen walls as tall as a man sprung up around the werewolf's head. A forlorn howl rose up and echoed off of the bare walls that formed the enclosed space.

"He'll be safe and we'll be safe until morning," Kakashi reassured Sirius. "Now let's-" the air suddenly grew cold and Kakashi could see everyone's breath being released into the air in condensing puffs.

The image of Minato and Kushina's corpses swam before Kakashi's eyes. He could feel Rin's dead body weighting down his right arm. Her blood was seeping under his fingernails, wetting his shirtsleeve. Then Rin was removing his ruined eye from its socket and replacing it with Obito's. His father was curled up on the ground, his blood staining the floorboards. Obito was crushed under a bolder.

Kakashi pulled a kunai out of his pouch and stabbed himself in the leg. His vision cleared, mind focused, and he saw almost a hundred dementors flowing around them. Kurenai was on her knees, eyes closed, her hands stiff and shaking in the sign that she'd normally use to dispel a genjutsu. Guy was holding himself up on his hands and knees but just barely. Hermione was motionless on the grass. Ebisu was next to her facing him. Kakashi knew he was conscious because his brow was furrowed over his sunglasses and his arms kept twitching in an effort to raise himself up. Sirius was passed out on the grass and the dementors were closing in on him and Harry. Harry was shouting something with his wand upraised and it was producing a wispy shield that hovered over himself and his godfather. However, it was growing thinner by the second.

Kakashi staggered to his feet, favoring the leg he'd purposely maimed moments before. _I wonder how dementors feel about lightning,_ he thought as he gathered chakra into his hand. The air crackled with electricity as Kakashi wound up as if to do an overhead pitch. _Lightning Style: Lightning Hound._ He brought his hand down and a bright light flashed. A large dog made of dazzling lightning erupted from his hand and attacked the dementors. One hooded creature had reached down and grasped Sirius by the robes. The hound bounded forward and bit into the dementor's scabby arm. Sirius was released immediately and the dog moved on, scattering and shocking the dementors into retreat.

When Kakashi felt the warm air once more, he released the jutsu and collapsed onto his knees. Guy was already up and checking on Sirius and Harry. Ebisu was shaking Ron and Hermione awake. They slowly sat up, shivering. Ebisu ignited a small fire on the ground and they gratefully put their hands to it. They weren't cold anymore but it was still a comfort.

Kakashi's vision was starting blur and suddenly Kurenai was kneeling right in front of him. "Kakashi, are you alright? Hey can you hear me?"

She was shaking his shoulder but it felt very far away. He could hear his own breathing and it was very loud in his ears. He closed his eyes to slits and tilted forward onto her arm. It seemed to him like the most natural thing to do in the world. Kurenai's eyes widened and she grasped Kakashi's shoulders and slowly laid him out on his back. His half-lidded eyes stared blankly at the sky above him. Kurenai gently maneuvered her Captain's headband so it covered his left eye.

"Thanks 'urenai," Kakashi whispered and then drifted into oblivion.

"Guy," Kurenai said, calling his attention. "Kakashi's in bad shape."

Ebisu looked up, tense. Ron and Hermione looked between Ebisu and Guy, concerned by their reaction. Guy jumped up from the two enlivening wizards and hurried over to kneel next to Kakashi with Kurenai.

"Help me get his armor off," Kurenai said.

Guy nodded and held Kakashi's limp form up while Kurenai undid the straps. Together they slipped the chest piece off and laid Kakashi back down. He hadn't even twitched. Then Kurenai's hands were splayed over Kakashi's chest and glowing a faint green.

"Did he-" Guy lost his voice and tried again, "I mean completely-."

"I don't think so, but you know my medical knowledge is limited."

After a long minute Guy put his hand over Kurenai's, "you've given him enough Kurenai. I need at least one of you functioning." The green glowing stopped. Kakashi was very still; the rise and fall of his chest scarcely visible.

"You need to get him to the hospital wing," Kurenai said firmly.

Guy looked at her then at Ebisu. Ebisu gave him a curt nod. Guy agreed with them, but he couldn't help but feel that his emotions were clouding his decision. "Kakashi would say that his condition could wait," Guy muttered.

"Yes he would," Kurenai said. "But Kakashi's an idiot and if your roles were reversed, he would already be halfway up to the castle with you on his back. Now get going."

"Yes ma'am," Guy said. He pulled Kakashi onto his back and set off at a sprint.

Kurenai watched Guy as he faded into the darkness separating her group from the castle. She turned around, sizing them up. "Is everybody okay?"

Ebisu nodded at her. Hermione stood up in answer and helped Ron to his feet. "We're fine," Harry said, offering Sirius shaky a hand up. "Just feeling a little ill."

Crookshanks, whom Kurenai had completely forgotten about, was purring and rubbing against her legs. "Don't think I forgot that you bit my teammate," Kurenai said to him. Crookshanks's yellow eyes looked back at her, unapologetic.

Kurenai stooped down, picked up Kakashi's armor, and slung it over her shoulder. "We should head back to the castle too. The night isn't over yet." Saying this she approached the still-stunned Pettigrew. Kurenai turned and looked at Ebisu, "do you want to carry him or should I?"

"That won't be necessary," Sirius cut in. "Do you have your wand Harry?" Harry pulled it out in answer. "Now repeat after me, _Mobilicorpus_." While he said this he mimed the hand movement for Harry to see. Harry duplicated the move and said the magic word. Pettigrew floated into the air once more, much like a marionette, and Harry was able to propel him forward with almost no effort. "Very good," Sirius said and Harry glowed under his praise.

The group set off again across the grounds and, meeting no resistance, they arrived in the entrance hall just as Professor Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic walked into it. Ebisu stepped in front of Sirius, temporarily blocking him from view.

"I really must be going Albus," Fudge was saying when he saw the group. His mouth fell open and his eyes widened at the procession. "What happened to these students? Why are they out of bed at this hour? What is all this?"

"This," Kurenai said, shoving the floating man forward, "is Peter Pettigrew. I believe he will have some interesting things to tell you when you wake him up." Her red eyes looked like they were glowing with actual flames.

"P-Peter Pettigrew?" Fudge fumbled, taking a step back. "But that's impossible, Sirius Black-" but even as he said it the minister recognized Peter. Further recognition set in as Kurenai pointed out the missing finger.

"I believe, minister, that an error has been made," Dumbledore said politely. "But luckily, unlike so many unfortunate mistakes, this one can be put right. Professor Snape has some veritaserum on hand if we want to settle this once and for all. If, after questioning Pettigrew, we find that Sirius Black is indeed innocent, then I have no doubt he will come forward."

As if to prove the Headmaster's point, Sirius stepped out from behind Ebisu and Cornelius Fudge shrieked. "I'm prepared to be questioned, minister," Sirius said, "whenever you're ready."

"Excellent," Dumbledore said, "but first I must insist that the students check in with Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. It looks like they've had quite a difficult night."

Harry and Hermione looked like they wanted to protest but between the looks Dumbledore and Kurenai gave them they hushed. "Ebisu, take them, you need to get looked at yourself. I'll handle this," Kurenai said.

Ebisu nodded and the two groups separated. The three Gryffindors and Leaf ninja went up the stairs to the hospital wing while Dumbledore, Fudge, Kurenai, Sirius, and Pettigrew began to head down to the dungeons to rouse Professor Snape. Dumbledore effortlessly took over the charm cast on the floating man's unconscious form.

With Ebisu helping Ron up the stairs, they reached the hospital wing in no time. Despite how weak Harry and Hermione were feeling, they did very well. As they neared the doors to the hospital wing Ebisu spied Guy pacing back and forth outside the great wooden doors.

"Guy, why aren't you inside with Kakashi?" Ebisu asked.

Guy stopped his pacing and hung his head, "Madam Pomfrey sent me out here. She said…she said I was too loud." Harry barely managed to hide a snicker.

"I see, well, would you mind opening the door for us anyway?" Guy complied and Ebisu shuffled in, supporting Ron who was getting paler by the minute. Harry and Hermione followed them in and Guy shut the door without entering.

"Guy, if that's you again I'm going to-," Madam Pomfrey saw the motley crew and ended with, "oh dear." Ron tried to smile but didn't seem to be quite up to the task. Harry and Hermione looked at each other and realized how ill-used they looked.

Ebisu helped the witch lay Ron down on a bed and then she shooed him away, instructing all of them to lay down themselves. Harry and Hermione complied but Ebisu sat rather than lay down on the bed next to Kakashi's.

Ebisu never got used to seeing his teammates injured. He knew what strong, capable people his classmates were, so seeing them looking so helpless made him feel sick.

"Ebisu?" Hermione said from across the aisle. He looked up at her, swallowing the worry that was welling up in his throat. "He'll be okay. Madam Pomfrey is excellent at what she does."

Madam Pomfrey, ignoring the compliment, finished with Ron's leg and bustled over to Ebisu. He said, "you can take care of the students first, I can wait."

She brushed his protestations aside and began pulling the ripped material of his shirt aside. Lifting up his mail she tutted, "bruised ribs at least. Hold still dear." She muttered something under her breath and moved her wand in slow, tight circles. Ebisu could suddenly breathe easier and relaxed a bit.

"Is Kakashi going to be okay?" Ebisu asked after taking some deep breaths.

"No talking," Madam Pomfrey said as she waved her wand and bandages wrapped around Ebisu's torso. "And yes, he should be fine. I don't know what you were doing out there but he's gotten himself injured and plum worn out besides. I've never seen the like."

"Guy's getting himself sick with worry standing outside. Please let him in," Ebisu quietly requested.

"Someone that loud doesn't belong in a hospital," Madam Pomfrey said snorting.

Ebisu wondered what she'd think of some of the things that went on in the Leaf Village's hospital. Hermione spoke up, "please Madam Pomfrey, Guy can be quiet. I'm sure he was just excited before."

Madam Pomfrey looked up at Hermione. "Mutiny abounds," she said. "I'm sure the only reason that this one," she waved at Kakashi, "isn't trying to sneak away is because he's unconscious. I get enough rebellion from these guards so please hold your tongue Miss Granger."

Just the same, Madam Pomfrey looked up at the big oak doors of her hospital wing and flicked her wand at them irritably. They popped open revealing Guy mid-pace. He looked up and saw the witch wave him in. The doors closed behind him as he bounded up to her. "Mr. Guy, if you are to remain here you will speak quietly, understand?"

Guy nodded. He looked like if he opened his mouth to answer a joyful shout would escape his lips. He then quickly acquired a chair and sat himself down between Ebisu and Kakashi's beds. Ebisu tried to distract him with quiet conversation, explaining what had happened after he'd left, but Guy kept sending anxious glances Kakashi's way.

When Kurenai, Dumbledore, and Sirius arrived at the hospital wing, the two wizards and witch were asleep. Madam Pomfrey came around the corner a moment later and, seeing Sirius, she nearly shrieked much to Guy's amusement. She calmed down at Dumbledore's reassurances but gave Black a cold look.

Guy jumped up at Kurenai's entrance but Ebisu was a little slower. He grimaced at how stiff he'd become just lying on a bed for a couple of hours. "How's Kakashi?" Kurenai asked immediately. She still had his armor over her shoulder and Guy could tell that wasn't the only thing weighing on her.

"He should be fine," Ebisu responded. "He just needs to rest."

Kurenai nodded and approached her sleeping Captain. His headband, sandals, and arm guards had been neatly placed under his bed. She put the chest piece with his arm guards and then stepped away, as if she thought she'd disturb him if she got too close.

Dumbledore broke the silence. "I can't thank you all enough for what you've done tonight. Because of you Sirius Black has been acquitted, although it has yet to be official. I insisted that Sirius and Peter Pettigrew remain here until this can be sorted out. Cornelius has gone back to the ministry to gather the appropriate personnel and documentation."

Guy couldn't help but agree with Dumbledore. It would be too convenient for something to happen to Black or Pettigrew on their way back to the ministry. The way the dementors had not only attacked Black but the rest of their party as well gave him no confidence in their reasoning skills.

"I would also like to express my gratitude," Sirius said. "If it weren't for all of you, I would be worse than dead." The conscious ninja each inclined their head in turn.

Meanwhile Dumbledore had pulled Madam Pomfrey aside and they were having a whispered conversation. When they'd finished, Madam Pomfrey approached Sirius and began examining Kakashi's kunai wound and bandaging job. She then moved on to the lacerations on Sirius's shoulders and back from his fight with the werewolf. "I think they're fine for now," she said, "but what you really need is a good wash all over." She took Sirius's arm and marched him to the hospital washroom.

When Sirius had washed and Madam Pomfrey had bandaged his wounds, he was like a new man. Harry didn't even recognize him when he woke up. His hair was clean and trimmed and his face was shaved. His skin didn't look nearly as pale when all the dirt was washed off of it. He had on a clean set of robes, Madam Pomfrey had burned the old ones, and his teeth and nails had been cleaned. "I feel like a pampered show dog," Sirius said frowning.

"You feel like you're civilized again you mean," the nurse countered.

Show dog or no, Sirius's appearance made him almost unrecognizable to the ministry officials who arrived the next day. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ebisu were discharged from the hospital by the next morning. Kakashi, however, was still unconscious and Guy stayed with him in the hospital wing, silently laughing at the way Madam Pomfrey fussed over his friend. He figured it would only alarm her to hear that Kakashi could remain unconscious for days after succumbing to chakra exhaustion.

Kurenai had insisted on patrolling the grounds during Pettigrew's trial and Sirius's retrial, in case the dementors got any funny ideas. So Ebisu escorted Harry, Ron, and Hermione to the dungeons. As they walked through the nearly deserted castle, there was another Hogsmeade visit that day, Hermione suddenly said, "how is Professor Lupin?"

Harry and Ron momentarily felt guilty. They'd completely forgotten about the plight of their favorite professor. Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses and said, "Dumbledore and Kurenai saw to that early this morning after the moonset. He is recovering safely in his office."

Harry and Ron found the trials surprisingly boring. There were a lot of words they didn't understand and a bit of arguing. They understood the testimonies though and the all important verdicts. By that afternoon the dementors and Peter Pettigrew were gone.

As the four climbed up the stairs back to the main levels, Guy came bounding down toward them. "Guy," Harry said excitedly. "Sirius was acquitted! He's free!"

Ebisu was eager to hear what news Guy had to report and his hopes weren't disappointed. Guy replied, "that's wonderful. In addition to your good news, Kakashi is awake!" The clone poofed excitedly, having delivered its message.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Ron frowned at the dissipating smoke.


	14. Chapter 14: Until We Meet Again

**Chapter 14: Until We Meet Again**

The four of them hurried up the stairs and met Kurenai who was also rushing to get back to the hospital wing. They all burst through the doors at once and Kakashi, who was sitting up, looked over at them wearily. He sent them an eye-smile and a weak wave. Madam Pomfrey was chiding Guy about interrupting her but Kakashi had only been half listening to her speech about reckless behavior. _Sirius has been acquitted. Finally some good news,_ he thought.

Sirius soon joined them in the hospital wing and they all ate their dinner together. Kakashi claimed to not be hungry but he stole quick bites here and there while everyone else carefully looked away.

The next day brought sad news. Professor Lupin had resigned. When Harry and Sirius went to see him he would not be moved. "I could have bit any one of you," Lupin said angry with himself. "The only reason I didn't was because the guards were there. I was too selfish, wanting a regular life, to think of the danger I was putting you students in. No, I must leave."

"Where will you go Remus?" Sirius asked seriously.

"I have some friends who will still take me in I think," Lupin said sadly.

"Of course you do, he's standing right in front of you," Sirius said smiling. Lupin looked up. "I'm the last of the Blacks, I have my parents' old house all to myself and there's plenty of room. Harry's moving in at the end of term aren't you Harry?" Harry grinned as Black ruffled his untidy hair.

"Do you really mean it Sirius?" Lupin asked.

"Absolutely," Sirius said, smacking Lupin on the shoulder. "It'll be like old times."

"We'll be like a sitcom!" Harry exclaimed. Neither of the wizards knew what Harry meant by that but Harry didn't care. He was too happy to bother explaining.

Sirius was giving Lupin the address and entrance spell when Dumbledore walked in. "Your coach is here Remus."

Remus and Lupin shook hands warmly. Professor Lupin picked up his weathered suitcase and empty grindylow tank, said goodbye, and was gone. His movements and step betrayed the new hope he was feeling even as he left one of the few places he'd considered to be home.

Dumbledore approached Sirius and Harry, the look on his face made Harry worried. "I'm sorry Sirius but Harry can't live with you. He must return to his aunt's home."

Harry felt like a balloon had popped inside of him. He knew the idea of living with Sirius was too good to be true.

"Why?" Sirius said, anger lining the question.

"Harry has certain protections as long as he's living with family. I know you're his godfather but you aren't blood. I'm sorry but it's not safe for Harry to live anywhere else."

"From what he's told me it isn't entirely safe to live with _them_ either," Sirius said. "There's got to be a way."

Harry spoke up, "what if we had a secret keeper? For Sirius _and_ me?"

"That's a fine idea Harry," Dumbledore said, "but no matter whom you choose there will always be a matter of distrust or concern. Would you want to put one of your closest friends at risk of torture or death simply to keep yourself safe?"

Harry frowned and looked at the ground. Suddenly he looked up, his eyes hopeful, "what if the person we chose was completely out of Voldemort's reach?"

Kakashi Hatake looked up from his hospital bed as Dumbledore, Sirius, and Harry entered. He pulled the covers off of himself and made to stand but Dumbledore waved his hand, dismissing the need for formality. Guy stood up anyway and greeted them.

"Kakashi," Sirius said, "Harry and I were wondering if you would be willing to do something for us."

Too soon Sirius was leaving Hogwarts. He wanted to prepare his house a bit for Harry's arrival. "I haven't been there in years and there's probably only old Kreacher left taking care of the place. Poor Lupin is there already and probably thinks it was a mistake to accept my invitation."

"Well," Harry said, "if you don't mind paying him, I know a house elf who's been looking for a job."

After the trial and Sirius's departure, the news of his acquittal hit the papers and it spread like wildfire among the students. Peter Pettigrew framed Sirius Black and it was Pettigrew who was finally caught? Sirius Black was trying to get into Hogwarts to prove his innocence? What had he wanted inside of Hogwarts? Theories and information passed back and forth but the entire truth wasn't out there. There was no mention of guards apprehending Black or Pettigrew. There was no comment on the fact that the Weasleys had been unknowingly harboring Pettigrew for years. There was equally no explanation as to how Black had escaped in the first place or how he was able to evade the ministry for so long.

The end of year feast was the happiest Harry had ever known. He was going to live with Sirius. He could let Hedwig out whenever he wanted. He could have Ron and Hermione over. He could do his homework like a normal student with Sirius to help him.

The Great Hall was decorated in scarlet and gold, since Gryffindor had won the house cup but only barely. "I heard some students got caught out of bed after exams and lost us a bunch of points," Dean confided to Harry.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione, "Dumbledore couldn't have possibly punished us for that?"

"We _were_ out of bed," Hermione rationalized but Dumbledore stood to make his end of year speech and the noise in the Great Hall fell to silence.

The next day dawned bright and clear for the exodus. As the ninja said goodbye to their new friends at the Hogwarts entrance Ebisu saw papers being handed out. "What's this?" Ebisu asked, pointing at the paper in Hermione's hand.

"End of year warnings to not use magic over the holiday," Hermione answered automatically.

Kakashi barked out a laugh. Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy stared at him. "What?" He asked. "Nobody else finds that ridiculous? What if something attacks? What if you get into trouble?"

Ron shrugged, "that stuff doesn't usually happen when we're at home."

Kakashi covered the visible part of his face, exasperated. _There's something wrong with this school._

Guy called out one last thing to his Slytherins and they waved back in response, some with more enthusiasm than others.

"Bye Kurenai," Cedric said waving to her. His smile glinted in the sun.

Kurenai smiled and shook her head, waving back.

Ebisu's eyebrows went up. "Asuma is not going to be pleased about this. Has your heart has been magicked away?"

Kurenai rolled her eyes then said, "I could ask you the same thing." She followed Ebisu's eyes to Hermione.

Ebisu blushed, trying to hide it by adjusting his sunglasses with his hand. "I don't know what you're talking about," Ebisu said. He took one last glance at the witch and headed back up to the castle. The rest of them following suit. So ended another year at Hogwarts and another mission.

Dumbledore was waiting for them in his office. They had packed just like the students, their backpacks tiny in comparison to the enormous trunks.

"Guy, are you sure you want to take that _thing_ back home with us?" Kakashi asked.

Guy held a pot with a willow cutting protruding out of it. The tip of the branch was stretching itself, trying to grab at Kurenai. Kurenai gathered her hair away from the grasping branch. "Of course I'm sure," Guy said. "I will nurture it so it will grow strong like the tree here at Hogwarts. The Whomping Willow has been the best sparring partner I've ever had, except for you Kakashi."

"Thanks," Kakashi said flatly. He glared at Kurenai.

"Don't look at me," Kurenai said. "You weren't helping fend off Professor Sprout's and Guy's enthusiasm. I just got dragged into taking care of it because Guy doesn't know anything about plants."

"Everyone all set?" Dumbledore asked. The ninja nodded. Kakashi noticed that the silver object that Dumbledore had been using to send Lord Third his reports all year was missing. Catching his glance, Dumbledore said, "I've loaned that one out for the summer Kakashi. She traded one magical device for another, you could say. I can always make another if I have need of it."

Kakashi turned and looked at the unsuspecting Ebisu and smiled under his mask. The four ninja gathered together and each took hold of one of Fawkes's legs. "Give my regards to Hiruzen," Dumbledore said and with a poof they were gone.

The End

 **Author's Note: Thanks for sticking with this guys. As you may know, the sequel for this story is up (and is frankly probably better than this one), with almost the same crew coming back for year four!**

 **P.S. For more stories about our favorite Copy Ninja at Hogwarts, check out the community: Kakashi at Hogwarts.**


	15. Bonus Chapter

**Lost Chapter:**

"Okay," Kakashi said, "I'll try it but I don't think it's going to work." Kakashi formed a familiar sequence of hand signs. _Summoning Justu_. Pakkun appeared in a puff of smoke.

"What's up Kakashi?" Pakkun asked, looking around. The ninja seemed relaxed so Pakkun, relieved, relaxed too. This was a pleasant surprise. So many times during the war Pakkun would find himself being summoned into the middle of a battle or worse, when Kakashi was injured and needed him to get help. This might just be something simple.

"Pakkun," Kakashi said, right down to business. "We're looking for a wizard that might be trying to infiltrate this school. His name is Sirius Black."

Pakkun observed the stone walls around him. They were assembled in the room in which the ninja had been living in at Hogwarts. "We're in a school?"

"Yes, for wizards," Kakashi replied.

"Right, okay then," Pakkun accepted this even though it sounded crazy. Kakashi rarely joked with his hounds.

"Any way you could sniff Black out for us?"

"Sure thing," Pakkun said and waited. When Kakashi didn't move, he looked at Kurenai, Guy, and Ebisu in turn. "Where is it?" The hound pressed.

"Where's what?" Kurenai asked.

"Whatever it is that has this guy's scent on it," Pakkun said with mock patience.

Everyone looked at him disbelievingly except for Kakashi. "Can't you just," Ebisu gestured with his hands, "sniff him out?"

"With what to go on? Do you think this guy's name has a smell attached to it that I can just tap into?"

"Well, he's a wizard, an adult wizard," Guy said helplessly.

"So you want me to sniff out a wizard in a school for wizards?" Pakkun deadpanned.

"Well he probably hasn't bathed in awhile," Kurenai said thoughtfully.

"Great, I'll just ask all-" the hound looked at Kakashi.

"About 850 wizards and witches plus the magical creatures that live in and around the castle," the jonin supplied.

Pakkun nodded, "I'll just ask all 850 people who live here what their hygiene route is and track down whoever smells the worst. I'll get right on that." The hound didn't move.

"But he was just here," Ebisu exclaimed. "We know he was in the Gryffindor common room."

Pakkun turned to Ebisu. "How is one scent out of dozens, even when he was just there, supposed to mean anything to me? I've never smelled anyone in this school before except you four."

Ebisu was slack-jawed.

"Maybe I should sniff everyone in the castle and then hunt down the one scent that doesn't belong."

Ebisu almost started nodding thoughtfully.

"Do you know how long a summons lasts?" Pakkun barked at Ebisu. "Not. That. Long."

Ebisu cringed a little at the tiny ball of fury.

Guy still had faith, "but you're a ninja hound!"

"Ninja hound yes," Pakkun said, "magic nose? No."

"If you guys get a piece of clothing or a shoe or something this guy owns for me to sniff then I'll be there. But until then, I believe Kakashi promised us a break now that the war is over."

Kakashi nodded, "thanks anyway Pakkun." The hound poofed back to his own world. "Do you believe me now? Do we need to have any more talks or explanations?"

The three ninja shook their heads. Ebisu in particular looked dejected.

"Good, then I guess we'll just have to protect the students without outside help," Kakashi said. "Fan out."

 **Author's Note: I wrote this up in response to some reviewers who were wondering why Kakashi didn't just have Pakkun sniff Black out. I hope my reasoning was clear and to your satisfaction.**

 **If you enjoyed this story, please also check out the sequel: "Harry Potter and the Ninja of Fire".**


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